Agar is a natural, gelatinous substance derived from the cell walls of red algae, primarily from the genera Gelidium and Gracilaria. It is widely used as a gelling agent in various industries. In microbiology, agar is essential for creating culture media to grow and study microorganisms. In the food industry, it serves as a vegetarian substitute for gelatin, used in desserts, jellies, and puddings. Agar is also valued in biotechnology, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals for its thickening, stabilizing, and binding properties. Its unique ability to gel at room temperature makes it versatile and highly sought after in diverse applications.