Agar, also called Agar-Agar, is a natural gelatinous substance, extracted in hydrocolloid form from several species of red algae, mainly of the Gelidium and Gracilaria type.

Agar is a mixture of two unbranched polysaccharide components, with galactose subunits : the linear polysaccharide agarose, and a heterogeneous mixture of smaller molecules called agaropectin.

The Agar-Agar used in bacteriological preparation is characterized by the absence of inhibitors, which could interfere in the growth of microorganisms, excellent transparency, high hysteresis and very reliable reproducibility.

Agar media is essential for the study of microorganisms and molecular biology and is widely used in the culture and detection of pathogens from contaminated food and water. In addition, due to its porous 3D framework, agar is frequently used in bimolecular separation and purification. Agar-Agar is indigestible to many organisms, so microbial growth does not affect the gel used and it remains stable. An agar plate or petri dish is used to provide a growth medium using a mixture of agar and other nutrients in which microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, can be cultured and then identified.

The firmness of the gel is determined by the amount of agar agar you add. If your recipe doesn't give you a measurement, you can follow this rule of thumb: to thicken 1 cup (0.24 L) of liquid, use 1 teaspoon (about 2 g) of agar agar powder, 1 tablespoon (4 g) of agar agar flakes, or 1/2 an agar agar bar.

If you are substituting gelatin with agar agar, you can use the same amount of agar agar powder to thicken the recipe. Otherwise, for every 1 teaspoon (3 g) of gelatin you will need to use 1 tablespoon (4 g) of flakes or 1/2 bar.

If you are trying to jellify a somewhat acidic liquid, such as those derived from citrus fruits or strawberry, you may need to add more agar agar.

Some fruits are too acidic or contain enzymes that prevent gelling and must be broken down by being cooked first. These fruits include kiwi, pineapple, fresh figs, papaya, mango, and peaches.

Using canned versions of these fruits will cut out the extra step of cooking them, since canned fruits have all been pre-cooked. You can also hydrate the agar agar in boiling water and then mix in the acidic liquid.

The powder should simmer for about 5 minutes while the flakes and bars should take between 10-15 minutes. Stir the solution until the Agar is completely dissolved. This process will hydrate the Agar, which will allow it to jellify the liquid when it cools.

Warm up the liquid as much as possible. One advantage of agar agar is that it begins to set at a higher temperature than gelatin, so it is a solid at room temperature or even when you warm it up. The liquid will begin to gel when it falls below 113 °F (45 °C). Because the addition of other ingredients may cause the temperature to drop and the agar agar to set before you are ready, getting the liquid as hot as you can will make it less likely to drop below 113 °F (45 °C) until you remove it from heat.

The mixture will begin to gel when it reaches 104–113 °F (40–45 °C) and will stay in this form as long as it stays below 175 °F (79 °C). You don't need to refrigerate the gel unless you want to serve it cool, so you can leave your dish sitting out at room-temperature without it melting or collapsing.

If you're not sure if you used the right amount of agar agar, pour a small amount in a cold bowl to see if it firms up. If it doesn't set after 30 seconds, add more agar agar. If it's too firm for your liking, add more liquid.

Don't stir or shake the agar agar jelly until it has completely set, or it will collapse.

Don't grease, line, or oil the mold before pouring in the mixture. It should pop out of your mold just fine, and these things can actually affect how well your mixture gels.

Unlike gelatin, you can melt the gelled mixture (if you wanted to add another ingredient, pour it into a different mold, add more agar agar to make the gel firmer or add more liquid to soften it), bring it to a boil again, then cool it again without compromising its gelling abilities.

The Sales are Final.

Best regards,