Agar: an ecological alternative for preserving food

Food is, by nature, perishable. Its shelf life, that is, the time that these can be stored and maintained in optimal nutritional, sensory, and safety conditions, conditions its marketing, transportation and distribution costs, as well as the amount of products that may end up being lost. The shelf life of a food is not only a first-order economic issue for the industry, which directly affects the product’s competitiveness. Mainly, a shelf life that is too short has environmental implications such as the energy cost of preservation and the amount of product wasted by not being consumed. 

Today, the products used for preservation, such as plastics or preservatives, go against consumers’ interest in healthy and quality food. Furthermore, the growing environmental concern means that consumers are increasingly interested in waste elimination, reducing thermal treatments, and the elimination of artificial preservatives.  

There are increasingly more open lines of research on the use of edible films based on the use of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, additives, and active compounds that allow for the preservation of food in an effective, healthy, and environmentally friendly way. One of the most interesting options is the use of agar. 

The use of extracts from algae as a coating is a very interesting solution, as it is a raw material of natural origin, biodegradable, abundant, renewable, healthy, and respectful of nature. 

Some of its main advantages are:  

• They are safe for health and are free of toxins 

• They function as a selective barrier for the transfer of gases and moisture 

• They slow down the decomposition process of the food 

• They preserve texture, prevent oxidation, and loss of compounds 

• They prevent bacterial growth 

• They require simple technology for their production. 

• They protect food from physical, chemical, and mechanical action. 

• They are transparent and are not detected during consumption. 

• They extend the shelf life of food by controlling the development of microorganisms.