Why can agar be made from only red algae and not the others?

No modern microbiological laboratory in the world can survive without agar, and no satisfactory substitute has been found even in with today's technological advances. read more

In brown algae, they have fucoidan and alginates. In red seaweed they have carrageenan and agar. So, they all have polysaccharide but the structure are different and it needs to be classified. read more

The polymers themselves are of two major types, agarose and agaropectin. Agarose is a linear polymer made of galactose monomers, while agaropectin is a heterogeneous, highly branched polymer composed not only of galactose but also glucoronic acid, with some of the functional groups esterified to sulfate groups and pyruvate. read more

The properties of agar agar are numerous. It is used primarily in the following areas: - Food Industry: The food industry uses it as a food additive with the code E-406. It is a natural thickener, non-toxic, with no flavor, not degradable by acid or proteolytic enzymes, and with no many calories. read more