Carrageenan

Carrageenan is a gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used to set wet foods and hold them together. AAFCO lists it among conditioning and thickening agents, and it’s an approved food additive in the US.

It’s also debated. A 2001 review linked it to ulcers and tumours in the gut of laboratory animals, much of that with a degraded form that differs from the food ingredient. Good studies in dogs and cats are lacking. If your pet has a gut condition, ask your veterinarian whether it’s worth avoiding.