EDIBLE SEAWEEDS 89 



value, as small amounts of many impurities cause it 

 to lose its power of forming a jelly with water. 



Agar, or kanten as it is called in Japan, has long 

 been used as a food in the Orient, and is one of the 

 favorite seaweed foods of the Japanese and Chinese. 

 It is eaten in the form of jellies, and as a thickener 

 in soups, sauces, and gravies. In recent years this 

 seaweed product has found wide application m all 

 civilized countries. In Europe and in the United 

 States it is utilized in food preparations such as 

 ice-cream, jellies, candies, pastries, and many other 

 desserts. It is also used in fish canning to prevent 

 the soft canned fish from being shaken to pieces 

 in transportation; agar fills this purpose very well, 

 since a dilute solution forms a very firm jelly upon 

 cooling. It is far superior to gelatin, because the 

 jelly strength of gelatin is rapidly destroyed at the 

 temperature at which canned fish is sterilized. Some 

 agar finds use in the clarification of liquors. A limited 

 amount is used as a sizing material. Its chief uses 

 in Europe and America are for the preparation of 

 bacteriological media for scientific use and in medi- 

 cine as a laxative. Its action as a laxative is 

 dependent upon the fact that it has the property 

 of absorbing and holding water, becoming at the 

 same time a lubricant and a mild stimulant. Recently 

 agar has been used with considerable success as a 

 dressing for certain types of wounds. 



