Description
Agar, a polysaccharide from red algae, dissolves at high temperatures and forms a rigid gel upon cooling.
Technical
When heated to 80–90 °C, agar’s agarose chains unwind and dissolve. Cooling to 35–45 °C allows the chains to re‑associate into triple‑helical junctions, creating a three‑dimensional network that traps water and yields a firm, heat‑stable gel. The gelation is irreversible above 80 °C and is strongly influenced by concentration, pH, and ionic strength.
Science
Primary Reaction
gelation of agarose via triple‑helix formation and hydrogen bonding
Sensory Profile
Aroma ()
neutralslight seaweedcleanmineraloceanic
Origin & History
Civilization
East Asian
Era
Traditional