The property of agar and uses

Agar is a hydrophilic colloid and divided into powder and strip two kinds. It is insoluble in cold water but soluble in hot water. Agar in industry is of particular importance. Even though its concentration is as low as 1%, agar still forms a fairly stable agar gel. Agar has long been regulated as a recognized security products by the United States Food and Drug Administration regulations, and approved as a food additive in food chemicals Pharmacopoeia. Agar is the raw material for food industry, chemical industry and medical scientific research.

With solidification and stability in food, agar can form some complex of physical and chemical properties with some material. It can be used as thickening agent, coagulant, suspending agent, emulsifying agent, antistaling agent and stabilizer widely used in the manufacture of various drinks, jelly, ice cream, cakes, candy, canned food, meat products, rice pudding, tremella bird's nest soup type of food, cold food etc. Agar is rich in soluble dietary fiber and low in calories, its advantages of detoxification, runchang purge fire, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugar and slimming beautifying make it popular. Besides, it is suitable for people of all ages to eat.

Agar has a history of more than and 300 years in China and Japan. Because of the nature of a special gel, it has been widely used in food, medicine, chemical, textile, bio defense, scientific research and other fields. For example, it can be used in the production of crystal candy, soft candy, aquatic products, canned meat, fruit juice, beverage, wine, beverage, dairy and beverage products, dairy cake, jelly, etc.
The gel property of agar is primarily depends on the molecular structure of agar itself. But the environmental conditions, such as electrolyte, food gum and other non electrolytes on the gel properties also have a great impact. Agar and locust bean gum, carrageenan, xanthan gum and gelatin both have synergistic effect, but it is vary in degree of synergism. But agar do not have synergistic effect with guar gum, pectin, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and sodium alginate, on the contrary, it will produce antagonism.

The viscosity of agar and agar sol is generally affected by the process of agar raw materials and the extraction of agar. When the pH is maintained at 4.5 ~ 9, agar sol viscosity value is relatively constant; when the pH value is 6 ~ 8, there has little effect on the viscosity of the ionic strength and aging time on agar sol. During the constant temperature, as long as the gel phenomenon occurs, the viscosity of agar sol will increase with the increase of time. For more information, please visit https://www.okchem.com, thanks!