Agar
It is considered a soluble dietary fiber and is often used as a replacement for gelatin
Agar
It is considered a soluble dietary fiber and is often used as a replacement for gelatin
What is Agar?
Agar is a unique ingredient used in a variety of culinary applications. It is a type of seaweed that is harvested and processed to create agar powder, which is commonly used as a gelling agent in the food industry. When agar powder is mixed with water and heated, it forms a jelly-like substance that can be used to thicken and stabilize a wide range of foods, from fruit preserves to puddings. Agar jelly is a popular dessert in many parts of the world, and agar agar powder is widely available from food distributors for use in both commercial and home cooking. Food grade agar is a high-quality product that meets strict standards for purity and safety, ensuring that it is safe for consumption.
In the baking industry it:
- Stabilizes icings, glazes and coatings
- Provides bulk to low calorie breads
- Is a popular vegan alternative in recipes
Origin
Legend has it that a small town innkeeper in Japan offered seaweed jelly to a visiting Emperor in the 17th century. Some of the jelly was not eaten and thrown away. The innkeeper found it frozen the next morning and discovered that it was now a low density, crumbly cracked substance that could be reheated to form jelly once more.
Industrialization of agar in its dry stable form began in the 18th century and was called kanten in Japan. Agar-agar is of Malayan origin and agar is the most widely accepted name, however, it is also known as gelosa in French and Portuguese speaking countries.
Commercial Production of Agar
Different red algae seaweeds from the Rhodophyceae class can be utilized to make agar.
Currently the industry uses the following seaweeds for production:
- Gelidium (original source of genuine agar)
- Gracilaria
- Pterodadia Capillace
- Gelidiella
Seaweed can be gathered at shore, cut from beds or cultivated. Once it is harvested, it is cleaned, dehydrated, pressed and then extracted for the polysaccharides agarose and agaropectin. Methods of extraction vary. After extraction, it is frozen, dried, milled and screened for use.
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Function
- A 1.5% solution will be clear and forms a firm gel after boiling and cooling to 34-43°C.This gel is strong and will not melt below 85°C.
- This gelling power allows the addition of agar to gluten-free baking formulations to provide desirable viscoelastic properties.
- Similar to other seaweed hydrocolloids, agar can improve dough stability, reduce staling and extend shelf life of baked products.
Application of Agar
Icings:
- Water-based (for wrapped and unwrapped baked goods). Boil agar (0.35%) in sugar-water solution, then add this mixture to the icing sugar. Apply icing hot at 50-60°C.
- Fat-based (for cakes). Dry blend agar (0.5%) with salt, emulsifiers, dextrose, starch and sugar, mix into creamed fat based cake icing and heat the entire mixture to 48 °C while mixing.
Fillings:
- Suspend agar (200 grams) in cold water, add 10 fruit pulp (10 kg) and sugar (10kg). Boil for 10-15 minutes.
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Product range
| Product range | Standards | Descriptions |
|---|---|---|
Agrila™️ PG900 | Agar agar powder 900 g/cm2 | Agar is derived from red algae that is often used in microbiology as gelling agent, dairy products, soups and sauces, beverages and confectionery |
Agrila™️ PG1200 | Agar agar powder 1200 g/cm2 | Agar is derived from red algae that is often used in microbiology as gelling agent, dairy products, soups and sauces, beverages and confectionery |
Agrila™️ SG | Agar agar stripe 700 g/cm2 | Jellies, agar-agar pudding |
Agrila™️ IST | Instant agar agar powder | Yogurt, dairy |
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