Agar- Agar
Is a combination of polysaccharides made up of neutral molecules (agarose) plus others electrically charged (agaropectine). It is obtained from various types of red algae of the Rhodofyceae family.
Some of the properties inherent to Agar-Agar make it soluble in hot to boiling water; it forms a gel when it cools down which does not melt again until heated to 85ºC. Agar does not require the addition of any chemical agent. It shows a higher gel strength than any other hydrocolloid and it can be employed in an ample pH range. It can also be blended with other vegetable gums, carbohydrates and proteins.
Agar-Agar shows a yellowish white colour and it is produced in either powder or strip form. It is a non-calorie fibre as it’s not digestible by the digestive tract: it is practically odourless and insipid.
The unique features of Agar-Agar make it an ideal product for use in food preparations, microbiology and molecular biology, amongst other uses.
Raw Material
The raw material used for the extraction of Agar-Agar are the red algae Gelidium spp. and Gracilaria spp.
Gelidium grows in the Atlantic Ocean along the Northern Coast of Spain, locally known as Cantabrian Sea and is considered to be amongst the most suitable raw material for the manufacture of high purity Agar-Agar.
Gracilaria can be found in different places such us Morocco, Chile, Indonesia, China and other countries.
When the seaweed is received in our factory, it is analysed, graded by quality and carefully stored. Our closeness to harvesting areas, together with our large, well organized network of buying agents, enables us to select the best algae and use them in the freshest condition and optimal state of ripeness.
ROKO has extensive warehousing facilities where a large stock of seaweed is permanently kept in accordance with their different features of application. This enables us to manufacture a wide range of specifications of Agar-Agar and guarantee constant supply to our clientele even in years when seaweed is scarce due to poor harvest.
