Tea is the example of fermentation of _______? (IFFCO 2022)

✅Explanation:
Agar is a gelatinous substance derived from certain species of red algae. It is a mixture of two polysaccharides: agarose and agaropectin.

• Here's why algae are the source of agar:
-Red Algae Cell Walls: Agar is extracted from the cell walls of specific red algae species, primarily from Gelidium and Gracilaria.
-Gel-forming Properties: Agar has excellent gelling properties, forming a firm gel at low concentrations. This makes it useful in various applications.

🔑Key Points:
-Algae are chlorophyll-containing simple, thalloid, autotrophic, and primarily aquatic (freshwater and marine) organisms.
-Algae are divided into various classes based on pigmentation, type of stored food materials, and kind of flagellation.

✏The three main classes are:
-Chlorophyceae (Green algae)
-Phaeophyceae (Brown algae)
-Rhodophyceae (Red algae)

• Important:
-Agar-Agar is obtained from Rhodophyceae (Red algae). 
-The other sources for agar-agar include Gigartina and Gracilaria. They both are varieties of red algae.
-The members of Rhodophyceae are commonly called red algae because of the predominance of red pigments, i.e., r-phycoerythrin in their bodies.
-Agar-Agar is a gelatin-like substance.
-Agar is a hydrophilic colloid extracted from Gelidium (seaweed).
-Gelidium is a type of red algae in the class Rhodophyceae.
-Agar is used in food because it is an emulsifier, stabilizer, non-digestive, jelly, and heat resistant.

✏Economic importance of Red Algae:
-Red algae like Porphyra, Chondrus, and Rhodymenia are used as food in various parts of the world.
-Agar-yielding algae are called agarophytes, such as Gelidium, Gracilaria, Ceramium, etc.
-Algae like Rhodymenia are used as fodder for cattle.

• Chlorophyceae (Green algae):
-The members of Chlorophyceae are commonly called green algae.
-They are mostly marine forms, only some are freshwater.
-There are about 7000 species in this class.
-In this type of algae, the reserve food material is starch.

• Phaeophyceae (Brown algae):
-The members of Phaeophyceae contain fucoxanthin pigment and include hydrocolloid-rich multicellular eukaryotic algae.
-Its common members are seaweeds called kelps.
-This class is comprised of about 2000 species.
-Brown algae are primarily marine.