Bile Salt Agar is recommended for isolation and enumeration of bile tolerant enteric bacilli. The medium contains peptone and HM extract which provide nitrogenous compounds and other essential nutrients for the growth of enteric bacilli. Sodium taurocholate inhibits contaminating gram-positive organisms. Sodium chloride maintains the osmotic balance of the medium.
- Appearance: Cream to yellow homogeneous free flowing powder
- Gelling: Firm, comparable with 1.8% Agar gel
- Color and Clarity of prepared medium: Light amber colored, clear to slightly opalescent gel forms in Petri plates
- Reaction of 4.3% w/v aqueous solution at 25°C. pH : 8.2±0.2
- Cultural characteristics observed after an incubation at 35-37°C for 18-24 hours