Agar is a jelly-like substance that is obtained from the cell walls of some species of red algae, primarily from "ogonori" (Gracilaria) . It is a galactose-based heterogenous polysaccharide composed of agarose and agaropectin polymers. Agarose makes up about 70% of the mixture, while agaropectin makes about 30% of it. Agar is mostly extracted from Gelidium and Gracilaria algae. It is a mix of carbohydrates that have been extracted from red algae, a type of seaweed. Agar can be used as a laxative, an appetite suppressant, a vegan substitute for gelatin, a thickener for soups, in fruit preserves, ice cream, and other desserts, as a clarifying agent in brewing, and for sizing paper and fabrics. In microbiology, agar is used as a solid substrate to contain culture media for microbiological work. Agar is sold in flake, powder, bar, and strand form. The seaweed is typically boiled into a gel, pressed, dried, and then crushed to form agar flakes, blended into a powder, freeze-dried into bars, or made into strands.