Nutrient Agar Granule for Bacterial Cultivation and Enumeration

Description

Nutrient Agar Granule for Bacterial Cultivation and Enumeration

Nutrient Agar Granule is an essential laboratory medium widely used for cultivating bacteria and enumerating organisms in diverse samples, including water, food, sewage, and fecal matter. This versatile medium consistently performs well across various microbiological applications. Therefore, it’s a top choice in labs dealing with environmental testing, food safety, and other microbial analyses.

Key Ingredients and Formula

The precisely balanced formula of Nutrient Agar Granule ensures optimal bacterial growth by delivering all the necessary nutrients. It contains the following key ingredients:

• Peptic Digest of Animal Tissue (10.0 g/L): This ingredient provides nitrogen compounds, essential amino acids, and vitamins that support bacterial growth.
• Beef Extract (3.0 g/L): It supplies additional carbon and nutrient compounds, aiding the growth of fastidious bacteria.
• Sodium Chloride (5.0 g/L): This component maintains osmotic balance, which is crucial for the stability of bacterial cells.
• Agar (15.0 g/L): Acting as a solidifying agent, agar forms a stable gel-like structure ideal for isolating and counting bacterial colonies.

The medium achieves a final pH of 7.3±0.1 at 25°C, creating a neutral environment that is highly suitable for the growth of a broad spectrum of bacteria.

Preparation and Usage

To prepare Nutrient Agar, simply suspend 33.0 grams of the medium in one liter of distilled or deionized water. Make sure to mix it thoroughly while heating, as this ensures complete dissolution. Next, dispense the mixture into sterile triangle flasks. Finally, sterilize it by autoclaving at 121°C for 15 minutes to ensure the medium’s reliability for cultivating bacteria.

Principle and Interpretation

The combination of peptic digest of animal tissue and beef extract provides the necessary nitrogen, carbon, and vitamins to support robust bacterial growth. Sodium chloride, on the other hand, maintains the osmotic balance, which helps bacteria grow without stress. Furthermore, agar creates a solid medium where bacterial colonies can grow, making enumeration straightforward.

Due to its balanced nutrient composition, Nutrient Agar Granule is highly effective for both bacterial cultivation and microbial analysis. It consistently supports a wide range of bacteria, making it suitable for applications such as water quality testing, food safety monitoring, and environmental assessments.

Appearance and Quality Control

When in its dehydrated form, Nutrient Agar Granule appears as a free-flowing yellowish granule. Upon preparation, it transforms into a yellowish solid, creating the ideal environment for bacterial colonies to thrive.

To confirm its quality, inoculate the medium with bacterial strains and incubate it at 36±1°C for 24 hours. The medium’s reliable performance is demonstrated by its consistent support for bacterial growth, indicating its suitability for use.

Storage and Shelf Life

For optimal preservation of Nutrient Agar Granule, store it in a tightly sealed container at temperatures between 5-30°C. The dehydrated form has a robust shelf life of three years from the date of manufacture. Once prepared, store the medium at 2-8°C, away from direct light, to ensure it remains effective for laboratory use.

Precautions

Always use this medium for laboratory applications only. If you notice any signs of caking or color variation, or if the product is past its shelf life, avoid using it to maintain accuracy and consistency in your tests. visit our [Other Series] for more related products