Carrageenan is a naturally occurring sulfated polysaccharide found in red seaweeds. It’s commonly used in the food and pharmaceutical industries as a gelling agent, thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier. Carrageenans form soft gels in the presence of calcium and display antiviral properties.
There are three forms of carrageenans: kappa, iota, and lambda, each with distinct properties and uses. The difference is in the number of sulfates (kappa has 1, iota - 2, and lambda - 3). The sulfate groups enable virus trapping by blocking viral attachment.
Carragenix™ gel technology uses lambda carrageenan (L-CRG) as its core ingredient.
Kappa carageenan
iota carageenan
lambda carageenan
The sulfate groups are what create the virus trapping mechanism - making lambda the most efficient variant of all with 3 groups present. The strength of lambda variant was documented by Abbott Laboratories in their 1997 patent #5,658,893 titled “Method for inhibition of rotavirus infection with carrageenan.”
To achieve the same level of virus inhibition with a Kappa carrageenan-based solution, one would need 100 times more product versus that of Lambda-based formula.
Lambda Shield™ holds IP for lambda carrageenan-based formulas in several categories.
Our solution
Carragenix™ is a natural, antiviral gel formulated with Lambda Carrageenan (L-CRG) as its main active ingredient. L-CRG's unique structure, featuring three active sulfate groups, effectively inhibits viral attachment to healthy cells, providing a protective barrier against infection. Carragenix can be formulated to meet the specific needs of different markets based on where the gel should be applied.
Safety
Lambda carrageenan is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in food products by regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). It is extracted from red seaweed and is primarily used as a thickening, stabilizing, and gelling agent in various dairy and plant-based products, including liquid baby formula.
While some concerns have been raised regarding carrageenan’s potential to cause gastrointestinal inflammation, these issues are primarily associated with another compound called poligeenan, which is not used as a food additive nor is present in Carragenix™. Studies indicate that food-grade lambda carrageenan does not break down into poligeenan during the digestion process, supporting its safety for consumption.