Types of cultural media

Microorganisms for laboratory analysis. There are several types of culture media, broadly categorized
into:

1.Nutrient Agar: A general-purpose solid medium containing nutrients that support the growth of a wide
range of microorganisms .Nutrient agar consists of peptone, beef extract and agar. It is a simple
formulation but provides the nutrients necessary for the replication of a large number of microorganisms
that are not too demanding. Beef extract contains water-soluble substances (carbohydrates, vitamins,
nitrogen compounds and salts). Peptones are the main source of organic nitrogen, especially via amino
acids and long-chain peptides. Agar is used as a gelling agent.Nutrient agar can also be used for the
cultivation of demanding microorganisms by enriching the medium with serum or blood.

2.Blood Agar: Enriched with blood (usually sheep or horse), this medium is used to differentiate bacteria
based on their ability to hemolyze (break down) red blood cells.Blood Agar is used to grow a wide range
of pathogens particularly those that are more difficult to grow such as Haemophilus influenzae,
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria species. It is also required to detect and differentiate
haemolytic bacteria, especially Streptococcus species. It is also a differential media in allowing the
detection of hemolysis (destroying the RBC) by cytolytic toxins secreted by some bacteria, such as
certain strains of Bacillus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, and Aerococcus. Blood agar can
be made selective for certain pathogens by the addition of antibiotics, chemicals or dyes. Examples
includes crystal violet blood agar to select Streptococcus pyogens from throat swabs, and kanamycin or
neomycin blood agar to select anaerobes from pus

Composition of Blood Agar

0.5% Peptone

0.3% beef extract/yeast extract

1.5% agar
0.5% NaCl

3.MacConkey Agar: Selective for Gram-negative bacteria and differential based on lactose fermentation,
using indicators to distinguish between lactose fermenters and non-fermenters .MacConkey agar (MAC)
was the first solid differential media to be formulated which was developed at 20th century by Alfred
Theodore MacConkey. MacConkey agar is a selective and differential media used for the isolation and
differentiation of non-fastidious gram-negative rods, particularly members of the family
Enterobacteriaceae and the genus Pseudomonas.

Composition of MacConkey Agar

Ingredients Amount

Peptone (Pancreatic digest of gelatin) 17 gm

Proteose peptone (meat and casein) 3 gm

Lactose monohydrate 10 gm

Bile salts 1.5 gm

Sodium chloride 5 gm

Neutral red 0.03 gm

Crystal Violet. 0.001 g

Agar 13.5 gm

Distilled Water Add to make 1 Liter

4.Sabouraud Agar: Designed for fungi, particularly yeast and molds, by inhibiting bacterial growth
through a low pH and the addition of antibiotics.Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) is used for the isolation,
cultivation, and maintenance of non-pathogenic and pathogenic species of fungi and yeasts. SDA was
formulated by Sabouraud in 1892 for culturing dermatophytes. The pH is adjusted to approximately 5.6
in order to enhance the growth of fungi, especially dermatophytes, and to slightly inhibit bacterial
growth in clinical specimens.
5.Mannitol Salt Agar: Selective for Staphylococcus species, with mannitol as a carbohydrate source and
phenol red as an indicator.Mannitol Salt Agar contains beef extract and proteose peptone, which makes
it very nutritious as they provide essential growth factors and trace nutrients such as nitrogen, vitamins,
minerals, and amino acids essential for growth. The medium contains a 7.5% concentration of sodium
chloride which results in the partial or complete inhibition of bacterial organisms other than
staphylococci. Mannitol is the fermentable carbohydrate source, fermentation of which leads to acid
production.

6.Chocolate Agar: Enriched with heated blood, providingChocolate agar is essentially the same as blood
agar except that during preparation the red blood cells are lysed when added to molten agar base. As a
result, the cell lysis releases intracellular nutrients such as hemoglobin, hemin (“X” factor), and the
coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD or “V” factor) into the agar which is utilized by
fastidious bacteria. Red blood cell lysis gives the medium a chocolate-brown coloration when prepared
from which the agar gets its name. The most common bacterial pathogens that require this enriched
medium for growth include Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus species. nutrients for fastidious
bacteria such as Haemophilus influenzae.

Composition of Chocolate Agar

Ingredients Gms /L

Casein/Animal Tissue Digest 15.0g

Cornstarch 1.0g

Sodium chloride 5.0g

Dipotassium Phosphate 4.0g

Monopotassium Phosphate 1.0g

Hemoglobin solution 2%

enrichment 10.0ml

Agar 10.0g
Reference:

https://microbenotes.com

https://exodocientifica.com.br/_technical-data/M118.pdf

https://universe84a.com

https://www.fda.gov/food/laboratory-methods-food