Resumen del producto

Gracilaria species produced agar with low gel strength, but this genus is considered the second resource of this phycocolloid around the world. Since two decades ago, it was registered the presence of Gracilaria parvispora in different regions of the Mexican Pacific, especially in Oaxaca and Chiapas coasts. However, there are no studies about agar yield or quality from specimens sampled in these areas. The objective of this research was to assess the physical and chemical characteristics of agar extracted from G. parvispora collected in coastal lagoons of Oaxaca and Chiapas, in order to find some possible use. Samples were collected in the coastal lagoons of Oaxaca (San Vicente Beach) and Chiapas (Ballenato and Paredo?n beaches). The agar yield, gel strength, melting and gelling temperatures were determined for each native agar sample. Also 3,6-anhydrogalactose (3,6-AG) and sulfate contents were determined by resorcinol-acetal method (Yaphe & Arsenault 1965) and rhodizonate sodium method (Terho & Hartiala 1971), respectively. The agar yield was 14.8-18.4%, gel strength was 203-337 g cm?2, and gelling and melting temperature was 34.7-43.2 °C and 65.7-78.5 °C, respectively. 3,6- AG content was 28.6-32.0%, and sulfate content was 6.5-8.9%. The results show the following trend: agar from Ballenato Beach (Chiapas) showed better characteristics, followed by the ones obtained from Paredo?n Beach (Chiapas) and finally San Vicente Beach (Oaxaca). According to these results, the native agar extracted from G. parvispora shows good features when compared with those registered from other species of the same genus. Finally, the native agar extracted fails to reach the standards for food and industrial use, but there is a possibility for improved the quality by using an alkali treatment during the extraction process.

Palabras clave: Agar; Gracilaria parvispora; 3-6 -anhidrogalactose; sulphates

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