- #1
Evil
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juz wondering...is the agar for cultivating bacteria the same agar we buy from supermarkets n eat?
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Is the agar for cultivating bacteria the same agar
- Thread starter Evil
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SUMMARY
The agar used for cultivating bacteria is indeed the same substance found in food products, derived from algae. However, the types of agar vary significantly; for instance, blood agar is specifically formulated for laboratory use and is not available in supermarkets. Agar serves as a solidification agent in culture media, while its culinary applications include emulsification in food preparations. Both nutrient agar and blood agar contain agar, but differ in their additional components.
PREREQUISITES- Understanding of agar as a polysaccharide derived from seaweed.
- Knowledge of different types of agar, such as nutrient agar and blood agar.
- Familiarity with the applications of agar in microbiology and food science.
- Basic concepts of culture media used in laboratory settings.
- Research the differences between nutrient agar and blood agar.
- Explore the extraction process of agar from seaweed.
- Learn about the role of agar in microbiological culture media.
- Investigate the culinary uses of agar in various cuisines, particularly Japanese cuisine.
This discussion is beneficial for microbiologists, food scientists, and culinary professionals interested in the applications and properties of agar in both laboratory and food contexts.
- #2
iansmith
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The agar use for bacterial culture is from some type of algae. I don't known about the food.
- #3
CrystalStudios
Uhm - I don't eat anything called agar?
- #4
Tyger
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Probably, the Japanese use it
quite a bit in food preparation, but you might want to check on things like salt or other additions.
quite a bit in food preparation, but you might want to check on things like salt or other additions.
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Phobos
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There are different kinds (recipes) of agar used for cultivating bacteria. I don't think you'll find "blood agar" (used for blood-borne bacteria, as you may suspect) on supermarket shelves! 
- #6
r637h
Phobos has correctly bracketed agar for you:
Natural agar is extracted from seaweed, or kelp.
It's a complex polysaccharide that is used mainly as an emulsifier for food preparations, including culture media.
It has no nutrient value for humankind (or, for that matter, bacteria that cannot digest such polysaccharides).
It is like pectin, even cellulose.
Bottom line? It's harmless.
Natural agar is extracted from seaweed, or kelp.
It's a complex polysaccharide that is used mainly as an emulsifier for food preparations, including culture media.
It has no nutrient value for humankind (or, for that matter, bacteria that cannot digest such polysaccharides).
It is like pectin, even cellulose.
Bottom line? It's harmless.
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iansmith
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Originally posted by Phobos
There are different kinds (recipes) of agar used for cultivating bacteria. I don't think you'll find "blood agar" (used for blood-borne bacteria, as you may suspect) on supermarket shelves!
It is the same agar used in different media recipecies. The difference between nutirent agar and blood agar, is that one has blodd and the oder does not but both have agar (http://campmicro.com/blood_agar.htm ). As stated by 637h, agar the solidication agent for plates media.
So the agar that you buy from the super market and that use in lab have a common ingredient agar (http://www.ndif.org/Terms/agar.html ).
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