E 403 AMMONIUM ALGINATE

Chemical name Ammonium salt of alginic acid
Chemical formula (C6H11NO6)n
Molecular weight 10 000-600 000 (typical average)

Description: White to yellowish fibrous or granular powder

Identification
Test for ammonium Passes test
Test for alginic acid Passes test

Purity
Loss on drying Not more than 15 % (105 °C, 4 hours)
Sulphated ash Not more than 7 % on the dried basis
Water insoluble matter Not more than 2 % on the anhydrous basis
Formaldehyde Not more than 50 mg/kg
Arsenic Not more than 3 mg/kg
Lead Not more than 2 mg/kg
Mercury Not more than 1 mg/kg
Cadmium Not more than 1 mg/kg

Microbiological criteria
Total plate count Not more than 5 000 colonies per gram
Yeast and moulds Not more than 500 colonies per gram
Escherichia coli Absent in 5 g
Salmonella spp. Absent in 10 g