7.8 Commercial Production
165
the same quantity and quality of carrageenan from the same supplier are priced at
108 Eur (Sigma-Aldrich).
At smaller scale, agar of different grades is produced for research purposes. For
example, high purity agar for laboratory research studies is supplied by SigmaAldrich (Ellis et al. 2019). These sources of agar for research are important in
developing new applications of agar and also as essential materials for experimental
procedures such as preparation of cell culture and tissue mimetics.
In commercial application, agar is mostly used as agarose (Makwana et al. 2018)
where much of the agaropectin is removed since agarose has more desirable properties. Some species produce more agarose content than others such that the isolation of
high agarose-producing species could reduce the processing time and cost in deriving more agarose rich fractions. Agar is sold as dry powder, squares or strips. This
is unlike carrageenan and alginates which are almost exclusively sold in powdered
form (Bixler and Porse 2011).
Successful commercial production of agar requires a mixture of factors: reliable
supply of low-cost and good-quality agar producing red algae, an efficient production
process, steady demand and good sales and marketing. It is also important for these
factors to be fine-tuned to specific agar application. Companies involved in commercial production of agar include Algas Marinas in Chile, Agarindo Bogatama in
Indonesia, MSC in Korea, Ina Food Industry Co Ltd. in Japan, Hispanagar in Spain,
Setexan in Morocco, Huey Shyang Seaweed Industrial Company in China and B &
V in Italy (outsourcing production to Indonesia and Morocco).
Production of agar from mixed species of red algae does not yield a desirable
product with uniform properties; therefore, for agar production process to be better
controlled and optimized for yield and agar property, a single type of red algae is used
in the production process. Therefore, commercial cultivation of red algae for agar
production is more focused on Gracilaria. For instance, 80% of the agar produced
globally as of 2009 was produced from the Gracilaria species of red algae (Bixler and
Porse 2011). However, some research efforts are directed at exploring other red algae
species for commercial agar production toward having more diversified sources of
raw materials.
7.9 Conclusion
Agar is a well-established aquatic biopolymer commercially sourced mainly from
the Gracilaria red algae; its diverse applications in biotechnology and food make it a
highly valued biopolymer of the aquatic environment. It also evidently has a role in
the future polymer industry as more recent applications are emerging. This also points
to a potential rise in market value of agar as newer applications emerge. The raw
material is relatively available with main problem with commercial production being
the competitive price for seaweed in general due to rising competition with use of
seaweed as food. Although enzyme-based extraction and hot water extraction without
use of chemicals are possible, alkali extraction remains the most widely used process.
165
the same quantity and quality of carrageenan from the same supplier are priced at
108 Eur (Sigma-Aldrich).
At smaller scale, agar of different grades is produced for research purposes. For
example, high purity agar for laboratory research studies is supplied by SigmaAldrich (Ellis et al. 2019). These sources of agar for research are important in
developing new applications of agar and also as essential materials for experimental
procedures such as preparation of cell culture and tissue mimetics.
In commercial application, agar is mostly used as agarose (Makwana et al. 2018)
where much of the agaropectin is removed since agarose has more desirable properties. Some species produce more agarose content than others such that the isolation of
high agarose-producing species could reduce the processing time and cost in deriving more agarose rich fractions. Agar is sold as dry powder, squares or strips. This
is unlike carrageenan and alginates which are almost exclusively sold in powdered
form (Bixler and Porse 2011).
Successful commercial production of agar requires a mixture of factors: reliable
supply of low-cost and good-quality agar producing red algae, an efficient production
process, steady demand and good sales and marketing. It is also important for these
factors to be fine-tuned to specific agar application. Companies involved in commercial production of agar include Algas Marinas in Chile, Agarindo Bogatama in
Indonesia, MSC in Korea, Ina Food Industry Co Ltd. in Japan, Hispanagar in Spain,
Setexan in Morocco, Huey Shyang Seaweed Industrial Company in China and B &
V in Italy (outsourcing production to Indonesia and Morocco).
Production of agar from mixed species of red algae does not yield a desirable
product with uniform properties; therefore, for agar production process to be better
controlled and optimized for yield and agar property, a single type of red algae is used
in the production process. Therefore, commercial cultivation of red algae for agar
production is more focused on Gracilaria. For instance, 80% of the agar produced
globally as of 2009 was produced from the Gracilaria species of red algae (Bixler and
Porse 2011). However, some research efforts are directed at exploring other red algae
species for commercial agar production toward having more diversified sources of
raw materials.
7.9 Conclusion
Agar is a well-established aquatic biopolymer commercially sourced mainly from
the Gracilaria red algae; its diverse applications in biotechnology and food make it a
highly valued biopolymer of the aquatic environment. It also evidently has a role in
the future polymer industry as more recent applications are emerging. This also points
to a potential rise in market value of agar as newer applications emerge. The raw
material is relatively available with main problem with commercial production being
the competitive price for seaweed in general due to rising competition with use of
seaweed as food. Although enzyme-based extraction and hot water extraction without
use of chemicals are possible, alkali extraction remains the most widely used process.