Agar Seaweed
Also known as：Kanten, agar-agar raw material
Gelidium amansii
- Origin
- Shandong, Fujian
- Season
- May–Aug
- Appearance
- A red alga with purple-red, finely branched coral-like fronds; dried and bleached product is pale yellow-white.
Content compiled by the Xian Mancang team
Introduction
品种介绍The main raw material for extracting agar (kanten). Rich in gel-forming colloids: boiled and cooled, it sets into translucent jelly — the base of a traditional cooling summer dessert.
Main origins off Shandong and Fujian; harvested in summer, circulating mainly dried.
Holding Environment
暂养环境Xian Mancang holding advisor: temperature, salinity, water quality and density references per species — feel free to exchange holding experience.
Circulates mainly dried. Harvested near the low-tide line in summer, then washed in fresh water and repeatedly sun-dried to bleach; dried product is pale yellow-white; some lots are further bleached for food-industry use.
Storage: dry, away from light and moisture, strictly protected from mold. Parameters above are reference values — adjust to harvest season and process.
Economic Value
经济价值Its colloid content determines core value — agar is an important food-industry material widely used in jelly, puddings and ice-cream stabilizers, with high value-add.
Shandong and Fujian origins grade and purchase dried product; domestic sales and exports coexist — one of the higher-priced seaweed varieties.
Culinary & Commercial Use
烹饪与商业用途Home: dressed agar seaweed (garlic and vinegar, crisp and refreshing); boiled and set into 'agar jelly' (liangfen) — a classic Quanzhou summer dessert served with honey and fruit.
Agar sees broad commercial use in jelly, confectionery, beverages and microbial culture media — industrial uses far exceed fresh eating.
Buying Guide
选购指南Dried: pale yellow, crisp texture, no mold or off-odor; rehydrated fronds crisp and grit-free. Note origin and harvest batch; soft under-dried product molds easily — choose carefully.
Market Reference
规格行情Reference price: dried 40–100 CNY/jin by colloid content and grade; agar powder 30–80 CNY/jin. Output depends on summer weather — prices swing visibly; relatively steady during the harvest season.
Agar Seaweed · FAQs
How do I pick the freshest Agar Seaweed?
Dried: pale yellow, crisp texture, no mold or off-odor; rehydrated fronds crisp and grit-free. Note origin and harvest batch; soft under-dried product molds easily — choose carefully.
What are the live-holding requirements for Agar Seaweed?
Circulates mainly dried. Harvested near the low-tide line in summer, then washed in fresh water and repeatedly sun-dried to bleach; dried product is pale yellow-white; some lots are further bleached for food-industry use.
What is the current market price of Agar Seaweed?
Reference price: dried 40–100 CNY/jin by colloid content and grade; agar powder 30–80 CNY/jin. Output depends on summer weather — prices swing visibly; relatively steady during the harvest season.
How do I cook Agar Seaweed? What methods work best?
Home: dressed agar seaweed (garlic and vinegar, crisp and refreshing); boiled and set into 'agar jelly' (liangfen) — a classic Quanzhou summer dessert served with honey and fruit.
Agar Seaweed · For stock availability and holding consultation, contact us