The kinds of seaweeds employed for the production of our Agar agar are the most used in the European countries: Gelidium spp, Gracilaria spp and Pterocladia capillacea.
The agar agar got from these species, even if near similar, have many remarkable differences as:

G.T.C. technicians have a direct line with their Research Team for a constant updating and for solving specific problems coming from our customers.
These are the reasons for which there choice is not fortuitous and, on the contrary, often it is determinant in order to get the requested results. General characteristics of Agar agar:
* Very high gel strength that can reach till 1200/1500 gr./cm2 in 1,5% distilled water solution
* Wide interval between jellying and melting temperature of gel (Hysterisis) which is near 50°C
* Reversibility of its gel which can be melted and re-jelled many times without losing its properties
* Big adaptability, that is, its capability to act always and anyway, when it has the right quantity of water needed to dissolve itself.
Agar agar carries out its actions independently from the pH of the vehicle in which it finds (better if > 3,5), as well as from the contents in solids of the product and from the liquid in which it is dissolved ( water or milk).

Agar agar has always success and it is the reversible jellying Hydrocolloid most resistant to thermic processes.
Our range of Agar agar includes now also new types set up in exclusive by Setexam, which permit to have not only jellying effect but very interesting stabilizing thickening action without syneresis; it is therefore possible the application where, up to this day, it was unthinkable to use Agar agar as structuring agent.
Examples: custard, stuffing of profiteroles, cake fillings, coating, semi manufactured fruits, fruit jam, cooked cream, whipped cream (also vegetable), cocoa and milk drinks, fruit juices, energy drinks.

   AGAR QSA

QSA Agar comes from the same seaweeds than the traditional Agar agar and it is carried out through a physical process of extraction patented by Setexam.
QSA Agar must be considered, according to the law, as a normal agar agar and it is scheduled in the European list of food additives as: E 406.
QSA agar has practically all the characteristics lacking in the traditional Agar agar to be a hydrocolloid perfect!

The weak point of Agar agar has always been its solubilization; in fact, to dissolve a traditional agar, it is necessary, first of all to dose it in cold water rigorously alone and without any other solid in solution in order to make available for it all the free water it needs. Therefore, it is necessary to boil the dispersion and to keep it under constant agitation during 6-7 minutes. Otherwise, only a partial solubilization is got and this compromises more or less heavily the wished effect of Agar agar.

This features makes the traditional Agar agar compatible only with not continuous production process, which nevertheless are decreasing more and more.

QSA Agar, on the contrary, is soluble in one minute at only 80°C! Besides, if dissolved in warm water, the presence of two or three parts of sugar is suitable in order to avoid lumps.
At 65°C QSA agar dissolves in the ratio of 90% in one minute; practically, the normal thermic process of pasteurisation is sufficient to dissolve QSA Agar.
QSA Agar is available in well 11 qualities: from the tixotropic stabilizing QSA P50 to the strong jellying QSA V900.
Please contact us in order to identify the more suitable one to your requirements!

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