Degraded carrageenan, or poligeenan, is not safe to eat. Research in animals indicates that it causes gut tumors and ulcers, and may even trigger colon cancer.
Because of the possible danger, fewer studies have investigated the potential effects in humans.
Findings like these have led the International Agency for Research in Cancer to list poligeenan as a possible human carcinogen.
This means that the agency has reviewed the evidence that poligeenan can cause cancer in animals and concluded that it may have the same effect in humans.
Some scientists are concerned that food-grade carrageenan is also dangerous. This is because various studies, dating back to the 1960s, show that the substance may degrade and become toxic when it mixes with stomach acid.
The medical community is unsure to what extent carrageenan degrades in the digestive system. This means that we do not know if any amount is toxic. It is important to note that no related studies have involved human participants.
Findings of a review from 2017Trusted Source indicated that even non-degraded carrageenan can cause inflammation and bowel disorders, suggesting that this substance may contribute to ulcers and IBD.
However, authors of a 2018 reviewTrusted Source concluded that there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about the exact health effects of carrageenan.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that eliminating carrageenan from the diet can provide relief from digestive problems, such as bloating and IBD. However, these reports are not the result of scientific research.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323117#research
