Short, timely weekly updates covering hydrocolloid market activity, pricing movements, supply changes, and industry developments.
Published on 2/11/2026
A class action lawsuit against Costco has gained national attention. The lawsuit alleges that the 'Preservative Free' claim is false and misleading because phosphates and carrageenan are added to Costco's world-famous rotisserie chicken.
It is preaching to the Hydrocolleague choir to state that "Carrageenan in food is not a preservative." That, unfortunately, does not stop a frivolous (in our view) lawsuit from digging into deep pockets. The two women from S. California who initiated the action are reportedly 'lawsuit happy' according to an online comment reproduced below. (Link to website HERE)
The litigants in this case are quite busy . . . besides Costco they’ve filed lawsuits against cars-dot-com, Adobe, Capital One, Lume Deodorant, Dr. Broner’s Toothpaste, and others within the last year or two.
Yes, carrageenan may be used to retain moisture, but the main function of a preservative is to reduce or prevent spoilage, which is not the function of carrageenan. At a stretch, one could claim the packaging of the chicken is "preserving" its shape.
IMR has written to the journalists reporting on the story from the New York Times Need to have more insight into the availability and price of all hydrocolloids?
Old hydrocolloids can be differentiated with specific properties designed for specific applications. Known as "Product Differentiation" in marketing jargon.
A recent such development and innovation uses citrus fiber to claim partial replacement of gum acacia. Up to 70% according to a press release issued February 4, 2026. The targeted applications are in beverages which implies replacement of the emulsifying, more expensive, grade of acacia, known as acacia senegal.
The unsettled, to say the least, situation in Sudan has raised concerns about gum acacia supply chain, particularly the senegal/emulsifying grade. The EU Corporate Sustainability and Due Diligence (CSDD) published in mid-2024, requires that "companies identify and address adverse human rights and environmental impacts of their actions inside and outside Europe". This situation and regulatory requirements have opened an opportunity for those with a potential replacement. The complete CSDD can be found at this link HERE.
The case should, however, be made that gum acacia trade in Sudan has positive human and environmental impacts. Gum acacia provides income and sustenance to a large number of impoverished civilians in Sudan. Also acacia trees provide a strong barrier to expanding desertification in Central Africa.
Subscribers to The Quarterly Review of Food Hydrocolloids will receive a copy of the press release and more details about the functionality of this replacement.
A new EU regulation published in the Official Journal of the EU on January 28, 2026, includes amendments that could affect certain hydrocolloids, effective February 18, 2026. The newly published regulations tighten specifications for LBG, guar, and acacia in infant foods. It also adds some further regulations for xanthan and pectin.
For Xanthan gum, the definition of the product contains: "....The final product must not show any residual enzyme activity." (emphasis added) For Pectin (E440 i) and amidated pectin (E440 ii): "..... The final product must not show any residual enzyme activity. No organic precipitant shall be used other than methanol, ethanol, and propan-2-ol." (emphasis added)
There are thousands of enzymes, most of which lack established test methods to measure residual activity. Establishing reproducible test methods for residual activity in two weeks' time for shipments arriving after the February 18, 2026, implementation may not be an easy thing to do (tongue firmly in cheek).
The complete text of the recent EU regulation (18 pages) is available to subscribers of The Quarterly Review of Food Hydrocolloids upon request.
