{
  "$schema": "https://foodadditiveindex.com/api/v1/schema.json",
  "id": "https://foodadditiveindex.com/additives/agar",
  "slug": "agar",
  "name": "Agar",
  "identifiers": {
    "e_number": "E406",
    "ins_number": "406",
    "cas_number": "9002-18-0",
    "inchikey": "GYYDPBCUIJTIBM-DYOGSRDZSA-N",
    "pubchem_cid": 71571511
  },
  "functional_class": "Emulsifier",
  "summary": "Agar is a gelling agent from red seaweed and the usual vegetarian substitute for gelatin. It sets firmly, melts at a much higher temperature than gelatin, and is used in confectionery, desserts and canned meats.",
  "derivation_summary": "Extracted with hot water from red seaweeds, chiefly Gelidium and Gracilaria species, then frozen or pressed to remove water and dried. No animal material is involved, which is the point of it.",
  "regulatory_status": [
    {
      "jurisdiction": "US",
      "jurisdiction_name": "United States",
      "authority": "Food and Drug Administration",
      "status": "not_listed",
      "status_label": "Not listed",
      "note": "Does not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.",
      "provision_count": 0,
      "provisions": []
    },
    {
      "jurisdiction": "CODEX",
      "jurisdiction_name": "Codex Alimentarius",
      "authority": "Codex Alimentarius Commission / JECFA",
      "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
      "status_label": "Permitted, with conditions",
      "provision_count": 24,
      "provisions": [
        {
          "status": "permitted",
          "food_category": null,
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": "1999",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table Three, INS 406",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "01.2.1.1",
            "name": "Fermented milks (plain), not heat-treated after fermentation"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 234 & 235",
          "effective_from": "2015",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 01.2.1.1",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "01.2.1.2",
            "name": "Fermented milks (plain), heat-treated after fermentation"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 234",
          "effective_from": "2015",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 01.2.1.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "01.2.2",
            "name": "Renneted milk (plain)"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": "2015",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 01.2.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "01.4.1",
            "name": "Pasteurized cream (plain)"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: XS288",
          "effective_from": "2013",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 01.4.1",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "01.4.2",
            "name": "Sterilized and UHT creams, whipping and whipped creams, and reduced fat creams (plain)"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": "2013",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 01.4.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "04.1.1.2",
            "name": "Surface-treated fresh fruit"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 453 & 454",
          "effective_from": "2021",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 04.1.1.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "04.2.1.2",
            "name": "Surface-treated fresh vegetables, (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses and legumes, and aloe vera), seaweeds and nuts and seeds"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 455 & 456",
          "effective_from": "2021",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 04.2.1.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "06.4.1",
            "name": "Fresh pastas and noodles and like products"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 211",
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 06.4.1",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "06.4.2",
            "name": "Dried pastas and noodles and like products"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 256",
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 06.4.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "08.1.1",
            "name": "Fresh meat, poultry and game, whole pieces or cuts"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 16 & 326",
          "effective_from": "2015",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 08.1.1",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "08.1.2",
            "name": "Fresh meat, poultry and game, comminuted"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 281",
          "effective_from": "2015",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 08.1.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "09.2.1",
            "name": "Frozen fish, fish fillets, and fish products, including molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 3, 53, XS36, XS92, XS95, XS165, XS190, XS191, XS292, XS312 & XS315",
          "effective_from": "2017",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 09.2.1",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "09.2.2",
            "name": "Frozen battered fish, fish fillets and fish products, including molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: XS166",
          "effective_from": "2017",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 09.2.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "09.2.3",
            "name": "Frozen minced and creamed fish products, including molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 09.2.3",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "09.2.4.1",
            "name": "Cooked fish and fish products"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 241",
          "effective_from": "2015",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 09.2.4.1",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "09.2.4.2",
            "name": "Cooked molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 241",
          "effective_from": "2015",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 09.2.4.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "09.2.4.3",
            "name": "Fried fish and fish products, including molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 41 & 325",
          "effective_from": "2015",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 09.2.4.3",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "09.2.5",
            "name": "Smoked, dried, fermented, and/or salted fish and fish products, including molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 300, XS167, XS189, XS222, XS236, XS244 & XS311",
          "effective_from": "2018",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 09.2.5",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "10.2.1",
            "name": "Liquid egg products"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 10.2.1",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "10.2.2",
            "name": "Frozen egg products"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 10.2.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "11.4",
            "name": "Other sugars and syrups (e.g. xylose, maple syrup, sugar toppings)"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 258",
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 11.4",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "12.1.2",
            "name": "Salt substitutes"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 12.1.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "14.1.5",
            "name": "Coffee, coffee substitutes, tea, herbal infusions, and other hot cereal and grain beverages, excluding cocoa"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 160",
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 406, food category 14.1.5",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "names": [
    {
      "name": "9002-18-0",
      "type": "cas",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "3PBT7NM2M0",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "89T13OHQ2B",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "AGAR",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "gsfa"
    },
    {
      "name": "Agar (Gelidium spp.)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "AGAR (GRACILARIA CONFERVOIDES)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "AGAR (GRACILARIA GRACILIS)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Agar agar flake",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Agar powder",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Agar, pure, powder Bacteriology and molecular biology grade",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Agar, unspecified",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Agargel",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Agaropectin, mixt with agarose",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Agarose, mixt with agaropectin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Bengal",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Bengal gelatin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Bengal isinglass",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Bengalgelatin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ceylon",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ceylon isinglass",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Chinese gelatin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Chinese isinglass",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Difco bacto agar",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Digenea simplex mucilage",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "E 406",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "FEMA No. 2012",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "GAM medium",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Gelose",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "GYYDPBCUIJTIBM-DYOGSRDZSA-N",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "INS NO.406",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "INS-406",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Isinglass, japanese",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Japan agar",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Japan isinglass",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Japanese gelatin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kanten, Bengal, Ceylon, Chinese or Japanese isinglass",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kantenmatsu",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Layor Carang",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "LPT5H1B7X5",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Macassar gelatin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "macassar gum",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Oxoid III",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Oxoid L 11",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Phytagar",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "S 100 (polysaccharide)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Seaweed,agar,dried",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Seaweed,agar,raw",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Vegetable gelatin",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "E406",
      "type": "e_number",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "406",
      "type": "ins",
      "source": "gsfa"
    },
    {
      "name": "(2R,3S,4S,5R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[[(4R,5S)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-2,6-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-yl]oxy]-4-methoxy-tetrahydropyran-3,5-diol",
      "type": "iupac",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "(2R,3S,4S,5R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[[(4R,5S)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-2,6-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-yl]oxy]-4-methoxyoxane-3,5-diol",
      "type": "iupac",
      "source": "pubchem"
    }
  ],
  "hazard_reference_values": [],
  "sources": [
    {
      "key": "gsfa",
      "name": "Codex General Standard for Food Additives (CXS 192-1995)",
      "publisher": "Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO)",
      "licence": "FAO terms — non-commercial use with attribution",
      "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/",
      "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
    }
  ],
  "citation_policy": "Cite as: Food Additive Index, \"Agar\", https://foodadditiveindex.com/additives/agar. This site reports regulatory status and does not rate additives.",
  "generated_at": "2026-09-08T00:09:38.398Z"
}