Agar agar is an excellent vegetarian alternative to gelatin. Used in microbiology as a growing media for yeast, mold and bacteria. Used to make casts in prosthetic dentistry. Agar can be added to icings and glazes, low-calorie baked goods, jellied candies and sugared fruits, sherbets and ice-creams, homemade pet food and baby food, and in jams and marmalades. Agar Agar is derived from two species of red algae in the Rhydophyceae family, Gelidium and Gracilaria. The powdered form is an excellent gelling agent and thickener in a variety of foods including jams, jellies, pudding, icings, soups and even ice-cream. Agar is an excellent vegetarian alternative to gelatin.