It is a thickening and gelling agent that forms heat stable gels in the presence of calcium. This property allows cooks to make gelled spheres, in a technique known as spherification. It is also used as an emulsifier, stabilizer, texture-improver. Now-a-days, alginate is added to numerous kinds of food such as ice cream, jelly, acid milk drinks, dressings, instant noodles and beer etc.