Red seaweeds, chiefly Chondrus crispus and Gigartina stellata, yield the gums called carrageenans. Food makers prize them as stabilizers, thickeners and emulsifiers across milk drinks, processed cheese, ice cream, desserts and even ready-to-feed infant formulas, where they stop separation and lend creamy body. Chemists sort them into κ-, ι- and λ-carrageenans according to how they dissolve and gel, each type crafting textures from brittle gels to pourable thickness. Chocolate milk, its cocoa held in perfect suspension, is their most everyday showcase.