Carrageenan comes from the gelatinous protective layer in cell walls of several red seaweeds. Because red seaweeds must live in the violent intertidal ocean environment, their living cells must be protected from damage. Carrageenan gels serve this purpose in nature. After searching the world for several decades for natural stands of carrageenan bearing seaweeds, the industry has settled on two Eucheuma species that thrive under cultivation in tropical waters and the abundance of naturally growing Gigartina species along the Chile coast line south of Santiago. Kappa-bearing weeds are most important because kappa dominates in dairy and meat applications. Iota trails but is nonetheless important in toothpaste and special food applications.