Why Don Microorganisms Feed on Agar?
Microorganisms don’t feed on agar for the same reasons humans don’t eat cardboard: the nutritional value simply isn’t worth the effort. Scientists take advantage of this trait when they need to grow various microorganisms for research. Because agar has no nutritional value, researchers can precisely control the available nutrients in the agar plates used to culture organisms. This gives them a better understanding of the microorganisms they research, and it allows them to ensure that only certain kinds of organisms are permitted to grow. Agar, also known as agar-agar, is a substance derived from certain types of red algae, more commonly called seaweed by laypersons. The Gelidium genus is particularly popular for commercial sources of agar. This gelatinous material has a number of interesting properties which have made it useful to humans; for example, agar is often used as a food additive to hold foods together without adding Calories. It is especially common in dairy desserts, where i
