Agar Agar, CAS# 9002-18-0, is a gelatinous substance manufactured through plant extraction, available as white Powder. Agar Agar is widely used as thickeners. It is widely accepted as safe food additive in many countries with E number E406.
Using of agar may lead to bowel blockage and trouble swallowing as agar might swell up and block bowel or eating tube. So agar should be taken along with a lot of water.
As Agar Agar is widely known as safe, there is no limit on dosage of intake. However, we still recommend consumers to consult professionals before using large quantity of Agar Agar for long period.
Special groups refer to newborns, children, pregnant and any other applicable vulnerable groups.
There is no evidence that Agar Agar could have any negative effects on these vulnerable groups. It should be safe to use Agar Agar in food for newborns and pregnant. However, we still recommend consumers to consult professionals before using large quantity of Agar Agar for long period in food for newborns or pregnant.
Generally recognized as safe(GRAS) is a FDA designation that a specific substance or ingredient is generally considered safe by experts, and so is exempted from the usual Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) food additive tolerance requirements. Agar Agar is considered safe by FDA according to existing data and granted GRAS status.
No breaking news or public health crises reported about Agar Agar reported up to now.
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1. Immobilization of pectin degrading enzyme from Bacillus licheniformis KIBGE IB-21 using agar-agar as a support. [Carbohydr Polym. 2014 Feb 15]
Author: Rehman HU, Aman A, Zohra RR, Qader SA.
2. Conventional and microwave pyrolysis of a macroalgae waste from the Agar-Agar industry. Prospects for bio-fuel production. [Bioresour Technol. 2014 Jan]
Author: Ferrera-Lorenzo N, Fuente E, Bermúdez JM, Suárez-Ruiz I, Ruiz B.
3. Antimicrobial activity of highly stable silver nanoparticles embedded in agar-agar matrix as a thin film. [Carbohydr Res. 2010 Oct 13]
Author: Ghosh S, Kaushik R, Nagalakshmi K, Hoti SL, Menezes GA, Harish BN, Vasan HN.
4. Use of a new gelling agent (Eladium©) as an alternative to agar-agar and its adaptation to screen biofilm-forming yeasts. [Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2010 Nov]
Author: Gognies S, Belarbi A.
5. [Gel-producing properties of exopolysaccharide acrylamide in composition with agar-agar]. [Mikrobiol Z. 2004 Nov-Dec]
Author: Vashchenko LN, Litvinchuk OA, Gvozdiak RI, Votselko SK.