Comparing E406 - Agar vs E422 - Glycerol

Synonyms
E406
Agar
Gelose
Kanten
Chinese or Japanese isinglass
agar-agar
agar agar
E422
Glycerol
Glycerin
Glycerine
vegetable glycerine
Products

Found in 2,871 products

Found in 12,762 products

Search rank & volume
#5854.2K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
#5167.1K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

×2.76
over-aware

×1.91
over-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 7 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Interest over time for 5 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Popular questions
  1. What is agar powder?

    Agar powder (E406) is a plant-derived gelling agent extracted from red algae, used as a vegetarian alternative to gelatin to thicken and stabilize foods.

  2. Is annie agar married?

    This question is unrelated to the food additive E406 (agar); as a food-additive specialist I don’t provide personal information about individuals.

  3. What is agar agar powder?

    Agar-agar powder is the same as agar (E406): a refined red-seaweed extract that forms firm gels and serves as a thickener, stabiliser, and vegetarian gelatin substitute.

  4. How to make agar plates?

    Mix ~1.5% w/v agar with appropriate nutrient broth, heat to dissolve, sterilize (e.g., autoclave/pressure cooker), then pour into sterile Petri dishes at about 50°C and allow to set.

  5. Is agar agar healthy?

    Yes—agar (E406) is generally recognized as safe and functions as non-digestible fiber; excessive amounts may cause bloating or a laxative effect, so consume with adequate fluids.

  1. What is vegetable glycerin?

    Vegetable glycerin is glycerol (E422) derived from plant oils (e.g., soybean, palm, coconut); it’s chemically identical to other glycerin and commonly used as a humectant and sweetener.

  2. Is glycerin bad for you?

    Generally no—at typical food and cosmetic levels it’s considered safe (FDA GRAS; EFSA found no safety concern at reported uses); large amounts may cause bloating, diarrhea, or thirst.

  3. Is glycerin good for your skin?

    Yes—glycerin is a humectant that draws and holds water in the outer skin layers, helping hydration and barrier function; very high, undiluted use can feel sticky or occasionally irritate.

  4. What is glycerin used for?

    In foods it works as a humectant, mild sweetener, thickener, and solvent/carrier for flavors and colors to keep products moist and stable; it’s also used in pharmaceuticals and personal care as a moisturizer, solvent, and plasticizer.

  5. What is glycerin made of?

    It’s most often produced by hydrolysis, saponification, or transesterification of natural triglycerides from plant or animal fats; it can also be made by microbial fermentation of sugars or synthetically from petrochemical routes.