Current Perspectives on the Effects of Main Types of Carrageenans on the Human Body

Abstract

The relevance of studying carrageenans (red seaweed extracts) stems from the need to address a medical and scientific issue concerning the limited depth of understanding regarding their effects on the human body. The purpose of this study is to analyze current scientific literature on the effects of the primary types of carrageenans—kappa, iota, and lambda—and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these food additives in the food industry. Results and discussion. Due to their hydrocolloidal properties, carrageenans contribute to the formation of stable structures in various food matrices, making them a key ingredient in the production of dairy and meat products, as well as in products made from plant ingredients. On the other hand, due to their structural and functional diversity, carrageenans are used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. According to modern scientific research, the external use of these biopolymers is considered safe. Moreover, experimental studies have shown that carrageenans have antioxidant properties, demonstrate a wide range of antiviral effects, and are effective against various viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, dengue virus, herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, HIV, rabies virus, papillomavirus, influenza virus, and rhinoviruses. It has been established that different types of dietary undegraded carrageenans can significantly affect the gastrointestinal tract, namely, digestion processes - proteolysis. In vitro results have demonstrated that carrageenans can inhibit the activity of key gastrointestinal enzymes such as gastric pepsin and pancreatic trypsin. One of the potential toxic effects of orally consuming food additives E407 and E407a is the disruption of protein digestion in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to a deficiency in essential amino acids due to the inhibition of proteolysis. To gain a deeper understanding of these effects, further in-depth studies are needed to explore the biochemical mechanisms by which different types of carrageenans affect the gastrointestinal tract, as well as to investigate the dose-dependent nature of these changes.