<P> The word "agar" comes from agar - agar, the Malay name for red algae (Gigartina, Gracilaria) from which the jelly is produced . It is also known as Kanten (Japanese: 寒天) (from the phrase kan - zarashi tokoroten (寒 晒 心太) or "cold - exposed agar"), Japanese isinglass, Ceylon moss or Jaffna moss . Gracilaria lichenoides is specifically referred to as agal - agal or Ceylon agar . </P> <P> Agar consists of a mixture of two polysaccharides: agarose and agaropectin, with agarose making up about 70% of the mixture . Agarose is a linear polymer, made up of repeating units of agarobiose, a disaccharide made up of D - galactose and 3, 6 - anhydro - L - galactopyranose . Agaropectin is a heterogeneous mixture of smaller molecules that occur in lesser amounts, and is made up of alternating units of D - galactose and L - galactose heavily modified with acidic side - groups, such as sulfate and pyruvate . </P> <P> Agar exhibits hysteresis, melting at 85 ° C (358 K, 185 ° F) and solidifying from 32--40 ° C (305--313 K, 90--104 ° F). This property lends a suitable balance between easy melting and good gel stability at relatively high temperatures . Since many scientific applications require incubation at temperatures close to human body temperature (37 ° C), agar is more appropriate than other solidifying agents that melt at this temperature, such as gelatin . </P> <P> Agar - agar is a natural vegetable gelatin counterpart . White and semi-translucent, it is sold in packages as washed and dried strips or in powdered form . It can be used to make jellies, puddings, and custards . For making jelly, it is boiled in water until the solids dissolve . Sweetener, flavouring, colouring, fruit or vegetables are then added and the liquid is poured into molds to be served as desserts and vegetable aspics, or incorporated with other desserts, such as a jelly layer in a cake . </P>

Why is agar used as a solidifying agent in culture media
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