Carageenan, agar, and agarose

As in the case with alginates, there are a large number of industrial and scientific application for gelling
compound derived from red algae. Similarly, there will likely always be a market for these natural product
because yhe polymers are too complex for chemicals synthesis. Agars and carageenan are linear polymers of
alternating molecules of (1 – 3)-β-galactose and (1 – 4)-α-galactose. In agars the (1 – 4)-bonded subunits are L-
galactose, whereas in carageenans, both type of subunits are D-galactose. The polymers are extracted from
dried seaweeds with cold water and then subjected to filtration, alternating with acetone, alcohol, and water
washes. After grinding and extraction in hot water, alcohol precipitation yields carageenans. Agars are obtained
by filtration under pressure ( Cosson, et al., 1995 ).

Carageenans are processed from relatively few genera red algae. Eucheuma, Kappaphycus, and hypnea
account for at least 75% of commercial production in tropical regions, with about half of the world’s
carageenans being produced in Phillipines and Indonesia. More than 95% of the eucheuma and kappaphycus
harvest in derived from seaweed cultivation.
(Linda E. Graham, page 74).

Production of Gelling Agents from Seaweed

The gelling agents alginic acid ( or its mineral salt, alginate), carageenan, agar, and agarose produced from
certain brown and red seaweed. In general, this products are useful because they stiffen aqueous solutions. In
some cases the seaweeds are harvested from wild stocks, while in the aqua culture operations have been
established.
(Page 73)

Sulphated Polygalactans
The extracellular matrix of the red algae is dominated by various type of highly sulfated polygalactans,
polymers of β-(1-4) galactoseand α-(1-3) linked 3,6 anhydrogalactose. These are the major constituents of
agarocolloids ( agars ) and carrageenans. The presence of D-gallactose an anhydro-D-galactose distinguishes
the more highly sulfated carrageenans from the less highly sulfated agars. (anhydro-L-galactose). Differences in
galactan isomers appear to confer distinctions in sulfation patterns, which are probably related to variation in
the physicals properties of polygalactans. Agars are more heavily methoxylated than are carrageenans. In
presence of cations (such as K+ or Ca2-), sulfated galactans from double helices that aggregate into a three-
dimensional network having colloidal properties.

Carrageenans exhibit a repeating disaccharide backbone : β-(1-4) –D-galactopyranosyl- α-(1-3)-D-

galactopyranosyl. This backbone is assembled from nucleotide precursors, then sulfated within the
conspicuous and highly developed Golgi apparatus by sulfotransferases. There are at least 17 different types of
carrageenans, which occur in different combinations in different species and can also vary within a species.
Carrageenan content can also differ among in red algal life story stage. Agarcolloids consist of alternating 3-O-
linked β-D-galactopyranose and 4-O-linked 3,6 anhydro – α-L –galactopyranose, but the repetition can be
interrupted by blocks or repeated units of either one of the two constituents. The most complex agarcolloids
are found in the most highly derived red algae (i.e. Ceramiales). Hybrid agarose/ carrageenan combination have
sometimes been observed. The sulfated polygalactan of red algae have been reviewed by craige (1990) and
Cosson,et al. (1995)

Sumber :
Linda E Graham , Lee W Wilcox, “ALGAE”, 2000, Prentice Hall,Inc.,USA

Cosson,J.E. Deslandes, M.Zinoun, and A Mouradi Givernaud, 1995, Carrageenans and agars, red algal
polysaccharides progress in phycological research, page 269

Lobban, C.S and P.J. Harrison, 1994, Seaweed ecology and Physiology, Cambridge University-Press, UK

Van der Meer, J.P., and M.U. Patwary, 1995, Genetic Studies on Marine Macro algae : A Status Report. Pages
235-258 in Algae, Environmennt and Human Affairs, edited by W. wiessner, E. Schnepf and R.C. Starr. Biopress,
Bristol, UK.

Craige,J.S.1990.Cell Walls, Pages 221-258 in Biology of The Red Algae, edited by K.M. Cole and R.G. Sheath,
Cambridge University Press, UK.