Agar

Agar is a natural gelling agent derived from the cell walls of red algae, particularly Gelidium and Gracilaria species. As a food additive (E406), it produces firm, heat-stable gels that set at room temperature and melt only at higher temperatures than gelatin, making it especially valuable in confectionery, dairy desserts, vegetarian alternatives to gelatin, and as a microbiological growth medium. It is a key ingredient in Japanese cuisine — notably in the dessert yokan — and is used worldwide in processed foods.

JECFA evaluated agar in 1975 and did not establish a numerical ADI, as available evidence indicated no safety concern at any realistic dietary intake level. Agar is composed of agarose and agaropectin polysaccharides that are not digested or absorbed in the human gut; they pass through largely intact, contributing bulk to the diet in a manner similar to dietary fibre.

Agar is approved globally — in the EU (E406), the United States (GRAS), Japan, Korea, and beyond. It is widely used in vegan and vegetarian food products as a plant-based gelatin substitute and carries no mandatory labelling requirements. There are no known adverse effects at food-use concentrations. Its high heat stability makes it preferable to gelatin for products sold in warm climates.