Sodium Alginate is a natural polysaccharide product extracted from the cell wall of brown seaweed that grows in cold water regions. Alginate comprises from 30 to 60% of brown algae(on dry weight basis). Alginate has dietary fibre properties.

Alginic acid usually accumulates in seaweeds as "jelly bodies" after combining with minerals from seawater. These gel bodies fill the seaweed cells. The litheness of seaweeds growing in the ocean is a result of the flexibility that these jelly bodies, i.e. alginates, provide structure to the seaweed.