Carrageenan

Controversies and what to watch for

Carrageenan is a thickener extracted from red seaweed, used in wet pet food to bind gravy and create the jelly texture in pouches. It has been under scrutiny since the 2000s because degraded carrageenan (poligeenan) causes intestinal inflammation and tumours in laboratory animals. The pet food industry argues that food-grade carrageenan is différent from degraded carrageenan, and that the doses used are safe. However, multiple veterinary nutritionists recommend avoiding it for cats with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. The EU allows it at up to 5 g per kg of pet food. Some premium brands have voluntarily removed it.