Agar vs. Inulin — What's the Difference?

Agar ( or ), or agar-agar, is a jelly-like substance obtained from red algae.Agar is a mixture of two components: the linear polysaccharide agarose and a heterogeneous mixture of smaller molecules called agaropectin. It forms the supporting structure in the cell walls of certain species of algae and is released on boiling.

Inulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by many types of plants, industrially most often extracted from chicory. The inulins belong to a class of dietary fibers known as fructans.

A gelatinous substance obtained from certain red seaweeds and used in biological culture media and as a thickener in foods.

A polysaccharide with the general formula C6nH10n+2O5n+1 that yields fructose when hydrolyzed and is found in the roots of many plants, especially those of the composite family. It is used as an additive in processed foods to replace fat or sugar and to increase fiber content.

A gelatinous material derived from certain marine algae. It is used as a base for bacterial culture media and as a stabilizer and thickener in many food products.

(carbohydrate) A polysaccharide found in the roots and tubers of certain plants, especially the Compositae; it is mostly a polymer of fructose.

A culture medium containing this material.

A substance of very wide occurrence. It is found dissolved in the sap of the roots and rhizomes of many composite and other plants, as Inula, Helianthus, Campanula, etc., and is extracted by solution as a tasteless, white, semicrystalline substance, resembling starch, with which it is isomeric, having fructose units in place of most of the glucose units. It is intermediate in nature between starch and sugar, and replaces starch as the reserve food in Compositae. Called also dahlin, helenin, alantin, alant starch, etc.

A gelatinous material obtained from red algae, especially Gracilaria species, used as a bacterial culture medium, in electrophoresis and as a food additive.

Used to manufacture fructose and in assessing kidney function

A culture medium based on this material.

Agarwood

Common shortened form of agar-agar{2}.

Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent; - used especially with a modifying prefix, as, EMB agar. The term is applied both to the dehydrated medium powder containing agar and to the gelatinous medium prepared from it.

Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent

A colloidal extract of algae; used especially in culture media and as a gelling agent in foods