Skip to content
Me
TheBetterBasket.

Cottage cheese without gums or carrageenan

Published 29 October 2026

Yes, most UK supermarkets sell a cottage cheese without gums. The plain tubs below list only cottage cheese (milk) and salt, and some add cream.

See all the swaps free - make your free account

Some cottage cheese adds thickeners like carrageenan, guar gum or xanthan gum. This guide shows the tubs that don't, and how to tell the difference.

Is there a cottage cheese without carrageenan?

Yes. Every tub on this page has no carrageenan and no gums. We checked each list.

Tesco, Aldi and Lidl:

Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Co-op, Waitrose and Asda:

Creamier tubs, with cream or crème fraîche added:

From a farm dairy:

See the full cottage cheese without gums list.

What gums are in cottage cheese?

These are the ones you are most likely to see. Each is on the FSA's list of approved additives.

  • E407 carrageenan, made from red seaweed (E407a is processed eucheuma seaweed)
  • E410 locust bean gum, also called carob gum
  • E412 guar gum
  • E415 xanthan gum

They are used to thicken and to stop liquid pooling in the tub. They often show up as "stabiliser" or "thickener" on the label.

Some people choose to avoid gums. Some just like a shorter list. We don't make claims either way. Our rules leave them out, so we don't list tubs that have them.

How to check a cottage cheese label

  1. Find "Ingredients".
  2. Look for the words "stabiliser" or "thickener".
  3. Look for "carrageenan", "gum" or the E numbers above.
  4. If the list is just milk, salt and maybe cream, it passes.

UK rules say each additive must be shown with what it does, then its name or E number. So it will say something like "Stabiliser: Guar Gum".

What cottage cheese is not ultra processed?

We don't label single products as "ultra processed". Different people use the word in different ways.

What we can say is this. The tubs above have two to four ingredients. They are milk, salt, and sometimes cream or cultures. Nothing else.

Is low fat cottage cheese more likely to have gums?

Sometimes. When fat is taken out, some makers add thickeners to make it feel creamier. But many low fat and fat free tubs have none. Six of the tubs above are low fat or fat free.

How much protein is in cottage cheese?

The plain tubs above have about 9g to 12g of protein per 100g, from their labels. That's similar to skyr and Greek yoghurt.

You can find more high protein plain foods on our high protein yoghurt with no sweeteners list.

Why does cottage cheese go watery?

Cottage cheese is curds sitting in a little cream or whey. Over time, some liquid can pool on top. This is normal. Just stir it back in.

Gums and thickeners are one way makers stop this. Tubs without them may look a little wetter. They taste the same.

Is cottage cheese vegetarian?

Cottage cheese is made with rennet. Some rennet comes from animals. Some is made without animals. Vegetarians may want to look for a "suitable for vegetarians" mark, or ask the maker. The label does not always say which rennet is used.

Ways to eat cottage cheese

  • on rye crispbread with cucumber and black pepper
  • on a jacket potato
  • with fruit and nuts for breakfast
  • blended smooth and used as a dip

Try our cottage cheese and cucumber crispbreads.

Other dairy without gums

Cream, milk and soft cheese can also have gums or carrageenan. See our list of cream and milk without gums.

FAQ

Does cottage cheese have carrageenan? Some does. Most plain supermarket tubs we've checked don't. Check the list.

Which cottage cheese has no gums? The 12 tubs above. They come from Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Co-op, Waitrose, Asda and M&S.

Is carrageenan vegan? Yes. Carrageenan comes from red seaweed, not from animals.

Is guar gum the same as xanthan gum? No. Guar gum (E412) comes from guar beans. Xanthan gum (E415) is made by fermenting sugar.

Sources

  • GOV.UK (FSA), Approved additives and E numbers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/approved-additives-and-e-numbers/approved-additives-and-e-numbers
  • EFSA, Re-evaluation of carrageenan (E407) and processed eucheuma seaweed (E407a): https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5238
  • GOV.UK (FSA), Food additives (how additives are labelled): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-additives/food-additives

Got a tub in your hand? Take a photo of the label in The Better Basket, and we'll check it for gums.

Related lists

See all the swaps free - make your free account