What is agar-agar?

Answer 1

A gelatinous material derived from certain marine algae. It is used as a base for bacterial culture media and as a stabilizer and thickener in many food products.
A culture medium containing this material.

Answer 2

Agar-agar is from the Malay word and known as agar in English.

According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agar
"Agar is an unbranched polysaccharide obtained from the cell walls of some species of red algae or seaweed. The word agar comes from the Malay word agar-agar (meaning jelly). It is also known as kanten or agal-agal (Ceylon agar). Chemically, agar is a polymer made up of subunits of the sugar galactose. Agar polysaccharides serve as the primary structural support for the algae's cell walls. Dissolved in hot water and cooled, agar becomes gelatinous. Its chief use is as a culture medium for microbiological work. Other uses are as a laxative, a vegetarian gelatin substitute, a thickener for soups, in jellies, ice cream and Japanese desserts such as anmitsu, as a clarifying agent in brewing, and for paper sizing fabrics."

"The word agar comes from the Malay word agar-agar (meaning jelly). "

According to: http://biology.clemson.edu/biolab/agar.html
"Thought I would add my own trivia to this thread. The word agar comes from the Malay word "agar-agar" meaning jelly. It was in 1881 that Robert Koch showed the value of agar in culturing bacteria, and imported the stuff from Japan which had a monopoloy on the agar trade
until 1940..."

A lot of the previous answers are right, but they only cover a PART of the definition.

Answer 3

Agar agar is indeed derived from "seaweed" and used in microbiology laboratories for culturing microorganisms. It is not a nutrient, however, but forms a gel that the bacteria/fungi can grow well-defined colonies on, without "digesting" the gel. The organisms can extract any added nutrients, but leave the gel matrix intact.This property makes it ideal for growing, identifying and counting microbial growth.

Answer 4

Agar - agar is a Malay word for jelly. Agar is a polysaccharide (sugar) used in the cell wall of a plant. It is also used as nutrient ina petrie dish to grow bacteria.

Answer 5

Agar is dried seaweed that malaysians boil to make vegetarian, almost flavourless gelatine.

Can be bought from chinese in supermarkets and looks like transparent twigs.

In Malay, "Agar-Agar" used to describe the actual jelly that this makes.

Answer 6

Agar Agar, a vegetarians gelatin.

Also known by its Japanese name Kanten, Agar is derived from Gracilaria (Gelidium species) a bright red sea vegetable with the botanical name of Gleidium purpurascens. Agar due to its high gelling properties is considered the queen of gelling agents.


Agar Agar, a vegetarians gelatin


Also known by its Japanese name Kanten, Agar is derived from Gracilaria (Gelidium species) a bright red sea vegetable with the botanical name of Gleidium purpurascens. Agar due to its high gelling properties is considered the queen of gelling agents.

An excellent gelling agent and thickener in many processed foods such as doughnuts, marmalade & jam, jelly candy, cheese, puddings, gelatin fruit desserts, meat products, bakery fillings and icings, dry and canned soups and ice cream.


Agar is a polysaccharide found in the cell walls of some red algae and is unusual in containing sulfated galactose monomers (gelling agents). It requires nothing but extraction from red algae and purification to become agar. Agar added to liquids simply gels them into a convenient solid form. It is used as a gelatin substitute for Jell-O® like desserts. Agar will form gels at approximately 88F(35C) but once formed does not melt below 136F(85C).



Agar Agar
Natural agar agar is unflavored producing a firm, clear jelly and is rich in iodine and trace minerals and has mildly laxative properties.

The flakes are produced by a traditional method of cooking and pressing the sea vegetables and then naturally freeze-drying the residue to form bars which are then powdered or flaked for easier packageing and transport.

Agar agar has stronger setting properties and, unlike gelatin which requires refrigeration to set, it will set at room temperature after about an hour - although it is advisable to store dishes gelled with agar agar in the fridge as it is a high protein food.

Answer 7

I use it in cooking... it is a white powder (though sometimes it's sold as flakes) created from sea-weed that creates a gelatinous clear substance when mixed with a little cold water. Used as a jelly, thickener or gelatine substitue, it has lots and lots of applications. It is also used as a base for growing bacteria cultures.

It does contain some useful trace minerals, but is tasteless in itself, so it does not contaminate the flavour of whatever food you are adding it to.

Very useful. And without all of the moral/ethical/religious issues that go with gelatine.

Answer 8

its a polysaccharide matrix used for various applications. It is extracted from purple algae. It could be used as a growth medium for microorganisms or a DNA separation matrix. Some asian countries even eat agar as desserts

Answer 9

The word fruits has different meanings depending on context.

Answer 10

agar is used in petri dishes, it is a gelatin, lamb's blood base it is used in medical labrotorie's to induce culture's to grow in a climate controled enviroment, usually at body temp, also known as culture smears