Agar
Appearance
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Agar_Plate.jpg/220px-Agar_Plate.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Physcomitrella_growing_on_agar_plates.jpg/220px-Physcomitrella_growing_on_agar_plates.jpg)
Agar is a substance jelly-like jelly made from from red algae. It consists of agarose and a mixture of molecules known as agaropectin.
You can grow bacteria on agar plates: that is how bacteria are laid out for testing in hospital pathology departments. It is used as a place to grow bacteria in an microbiology laboratory.[1]
Domestically, it is used to make desserts, as a laxative, and in the process of brewing.
The word "agar" comes from the Malay word agar-agar, a word which is used for "red algae", where the jelly comes from.[2]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Smith A. 2005. History of the Agar Plate. Laboratory News. [1] Archived 2012-10-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Training Manual on Gracilaria Culture and Seaweed Processing in China". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2021-03-24.