Agar de Asturias

Agar Production on the Asturian Coast

Agar de Asturias, S.A. is an agar manufacturer founded in 1987 and based in Llanes on the eastern coast of Asturias. It produces agar from red algae of the Gelidium genus, gathered by divers or collected after washing ashore along the Cantabrian coast and Atlantic shoreline. Its production facility is about 300 meters from the Bay of Biscay.

The plant was built using technology from DIFCO LABORATORIES Ltd. to replace the supply that company had been obtaining from American Agar & Company in San Diego, California.

Products

• Bacteriological agar: Made exclusively from Atlantic and Cantabrian Gelidium seaweed and suitable for most culture media. It is sold in three grades by gel strength: American type (650–750 g/cm², in powder or coarse-grain form), European type (750–900 g/cm²), and high-strength type (over 900 g/cm²).
• Agar for specialized media: Formulations adapted for Baird-Parker media, Legionella culture, chromogenic media, and Mueller-Hinton media.
• Food-grade agar: Registered as additive E-406, it is used as a gelling agent, thickener, and source of plant fiber in confectionery, baked goods, dairy products, and canned meat products.

Available sizes include 50- and 25-kilogram drums and 10-kilogram containers. Food-grade agar is also available in 500- and 100-gram packages for individual consumers.

Customers and Markets

The company exports to customers in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Its buyers include some of the world's leading culture-media manufacturers.

Certifications

Agar de Asturias holds ISO 9001:2015 certification for its management system and says it follows sustainability criteria and environmental best practices.

Location and Contact

Address: Aldea Bricia, 33594 Posada de Llanes, Asturias, Spain. Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 3–6:30 p.m.

Phones: +34 985 40 72 92 and +34 744 70 90 15. Email: info@agardeasturias.com.