Food: Thickens sauces, soups, ice cream, yogurt, beverages, and bakery products while improving texture and preventing ingredients from separating.
Pharmaceuticals: Used in tablets as a binder and in artificial tears and other medicines to increase viscosity.
Cosmetics and personal care: Found in toothpaste, creams, shampoos, and lotions to improve consistency.
Industrial applications: Used in paper making, textiles, detergents, paints, ceramics, and oil drilling fluids because it helps retain water and stabilize mixtures.