Sodium alginate (E401)
Updated October 2, 2026
Sodium alginate (E401) is a food additive in the “other additives” group. It appears in 8,579 products in our database, 3,450 of them sold in the US.
Quick facts
- Also known as
- E401
- E-number
- E401
- Function
- Other additives
- Found in
- 8,579 products (3,450 sold in the US)
Foods that commonly contain Sodium alginate
Share of published products in each category whose ingredient list includes Sodium alginate.
Popular products with Sodium alginate
NOVA 4 
d NOVA 4 
d NOVA 4 
c NOVA 4 
d NOVA 4 
NOVA 4 
e NOVA 4 
e NOVA 4 
e NOVA 4 
d NOVA 4 Sodium alginate-free alternatives
Popular products from the same categories that don't list Sodium alginate and score Nutri-Score A–C.
c NOVA 3 
a 
b NOVA 4 
b NOVA 4 
c NOVA 3 How to spot Sodium alginate on a label
Look for any of these names in the ingredient list:
Related additives
Frequently asked questions
What foods contain Sodium alginate?
In our database, Sodium alginate most often appears in cakes, salted snacks, frozen foods and frozen desserts.
How many products contain Sodium alginate?
8,579 published products on Foodmetria list Sodium alginate, including 3,450 sold in the United States. Counts come from ingredient lists in Open Food Facts and update daily.
Product data: Open Food Facts (ODbL), updated daily. Additive information is for general education and is not medical advice. Always check the package label. Our methodology.