Carrageenan is a family of gelling and thickening gums extracted from red seaweed — classically Irish moss. Its three types set very differently, from firm and brittle to soft and springy, and one of them reacts with milk proteins, which is why carrageenan quietly sets so many dairy desserts.
PAIR's modernist science — how much to use, how it behaves with heat, and what makes it fail — is a Pro feature. The description, nutrition, history and facts stay free.