Studies on Alkali-treatment of Raw Material Seaweeds of Agar Industry

Part I. Agar prepared from alkali-treated Hirakusa (Gelidium subcostatum)

Abstract

Agar preparation was investigated under various conditions from Hirakusa (Gelidium subcostatum). Although the methods of general extration from Hirakusa as raw material did not give satisfactory results on the yield and physico-chemical propezties of extracted agar, alkali-treatment was effective on the extraction of agar of good physica-chemical properties. On the effect of the alkali-treatment and subsequent extraction, microscopic observation of the tissue maceration of Hirakusa under various conditions, estimation of agarose and agaropectin in Hirakusa agar as raw material and alkali-treated Hirakusa agar and the texture of agar gel by texturometer were carried out.