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E406ThickenerLow concern
Agar
In plain words
The short version
A traditional vegan gelling agent from red seaweed — the basis of vegan jellies and microbiology plates.
Why it's green
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
No ADI specified. Considered safe and acts as a soluble fiber. Like other seaweed gums, very high intake can cause GI upset. No documented allergenicity.
The detail
Extracted from red seaweeds of the genera Gelidium and Gracilaria, primarily in Japan, China, Morocco, and Chile. The name comes from the Malay agar-agar. Used in Asian cuisine for centuries before its 19th-century adoption as a microbiology culture medium.
The traditional vegan alternative to gelatin — used in jellies, puddings, Asian desserts (anmitsu, yokan), confectionery, and vegan gummies. Forms thermo-reversible gels at very low concentrations (0.5–2%) with a clean melt-in-mouth texture.
Off-white to pale yellow powder, insoluble in cold water, dissolves on boiling. Gels firmly on cooling below ~40°C and re-melts above ~85°C — a wide hysteresis useful in confectionery.
Widely permitted. In the US it is GRAS with maximum use levels by food category (0.8% in baked goods, 2.0% in confections and frostings, 1.2% in soft candy, 0.25% in other foods). In the EU it may not be used in jelly mini-cups.
Sources
- WHO JECFA database — Agar (INS 406; evaluation 1973) — Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 1973. JECFA ADI 'not limited'
- EFSA — Re-evaluation of agar (E 406) as a food additive (EFSA Journal 2016;14(12):4645, doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4645) — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA ANS Panel), 2016. No numerical ADI needed; EU ban in jelly mini-cups
- 21 CFR 184.1115 — Agar-agar (affirmed GRAS; CFR 2025 edition) — U.S. FDA / Code of Federal Regulations (govinfo.gov, 2025 edition), 2025. US maximum usage levels by food category
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.