Enterococcus Chromogenic Medium - BioReagent

Cat. No.: E1528757

CALIDAD & PUREZA BioReagent

Storage

Store at 2-8°C

Shipped In

Wet ice

Descripción general

For rapid detection of Enterococcus; Enterococcus appears red

Especificaciones

Especificaciones y pureza

BioReagent

Condiciones de almacenamiento de almacenamiento

Store at 2-8°C

Enviado en

Wet ice

Este producto requiere envío en cadena de frío. Los servicios terrestres y otros servicios económicos no están disponibles.

Grado

BioReagent

Product Line

Productos biológicos

Application Protocols

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Manufacturer application text: Not provided for this SKU beyond the product name. Research use only.

General plating protocol (literature guidance; adjust to CoA/SOP)

1. Preparation

• If dehydrated: Weigh the manufacturer‑specified amount of medium and add to purified water while stirring. Heat as needed to dissolve completely. Adjust pH only if directed by the CoA.
• Sterilize by autoclaving at 121°C for ~15 min unless instructed otherwise. If any chromogenic/supplement components are heat‑labile, sterile‑filter them and add aseptically to cooled (≈45–50°C) base medium.

2. Plate pouring

• Pour into sterile petri dishes in a laminar‑flow hood. Allow to solidify and dry plates to remove surface moisture. Protect from light.

3. Inoculation and incubation

• Streak for isolation or spread a measured inoculum for enumeration. For water testing, membrane filtration onto the medium may be used.
• Incubate inverted plates at 35–37°C for 24–48 h (or per method). For thermotolerant enterococci methods, 41–44°C may be specified.

4. Interpretation and confirmation

• Presumptive Enterococcus colonies exhibit the characteristic color defined by the chromogenic system; non‑target colonies are typically colorless or differently colored. Confirm with secondary tests (e.g., catalase negative, PYR positive for E. faecalis, MALDI‑TOF, or molecular assays).

Quality controls

• Include positive and negative control strains each run. Document lot numbers and any deviations.

Biological Roles

Scope

• The product is a culture medium; it does not itself have a biological role. It is formulated to reveal biological activities characteristic of Enterococcus spp.

Enterococcus biology relevant to chromogenic media (literature)

• Target organisms: The genus Enterococcus (e.g., E. faecalis, E. faecium) comprises Gram‑positive, catalase‑negative cocci that tolerate bile salts and elevated temperatures and are common in gastrointestinal tracts and environmental waters.
• Enzymatic markers: Many enterococci exhibit β‑glucosidase (and other glycosidase) activities. Chromogenic substrates in the medium are cleaved by these enzymes, releasing colored aglycones that deposit in colonies and yield distinctive hues for presumptive identification.
• Selective growth: Enterococci can grow in the presence of bile and certain inhibitors (e.g., sodium azide), which suppress many Gram‑negatives and some Gram‑positives. This physiological tolerance underpins the selectivity of the medium.
• Metabolic versatility: Enterococci ferment a range of carbohydrates, producing lactic acid; buffering capacity in the medium helps maintain pH suitable for enzyme activity and color development.

Practical implications

• Colony color on chromogenic medium is a phenotypic readout of enzyme expression, not a definitive taxonomic assignment. Confirmatory biochemical or molecular assays are advised for critical work.

Buffer Applications

Applicability note

• This product is a complete culture medium rather than a discrete buffer. It is not typically used to prepare standalone buffer systems for biochemistry.

General guidance (literature)

• Embedded buffering: Enterococcus media are commonly formulated with phosphate or other buffering systems to stabilize pH near neutral during incubation, supporting both growth and chromogen performance. Exact buffer identity/concentration for this item is not specified; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• If pH control is critical for your application (e.g., comparative enzyme activity studies), validate the medium’s pH pre‑ and post‑sterilization, and avoid adding external buffers that could alter selectivity or color development.

Green Alternatives

Context

• Culture media inherently rely on aqueous preparation and do not typically involve hazardous organic solvents, but environmental impacts still arise from energy use, single‑use plastics, and waste streams.

Greener practice recommendations (general)

• Choose format wisely: Dehydrated media reconstituted on site can reduce cold‑chain mass and packaging compared to shipping large volumes of ready‑to‑use plates/bottles. Balance against in‑house energy for sterilization.
• Scale appropriately: Prepare only the volume needed to minimize expired media waste.
• Energy efficiency: Optimize autoclave loads and cycles; use validated, shorter cycles where permissible. Avoid unnecessary preheating to preserve chromogens and save energy.
• Materials: Prefer reusable glassware where feasible; reduce single‑use plastics (petri dishes, serological pipettes) by adopting reusable or recyclable alternatives consistent with sterility needs.
• Waste minimization: Segregate non‑biohazard packaging from biohazard waste. Treat spent media/plates by autoclaving before disposal; consider on‑site effluent neutralization for liquid waste.
• Safer additives: When method allows, avoid heavy‑metal‑based selective agents. Many chromogenic media rely on bile salts/organic inhibitors rather than metals.

Comparison (general)

• Chromogenic Enterococcus media vs classical bile esculin azide agar:
  • Chromogenic media can reduce confirmatory testing and incubation time (fewer subcultures), lowering energy and consumables.
  • Classical media may use similar resources but lack rapid visual differentiation, potentially increasing rework.

Note: These are general sustainability practices; adapt to institutional policies and validation requirements.

Pharmaceutical Uses

Scope

• No therapeutic/clinical use is implied. For research use only (per Product Data).

Industry context (general, non‑item‑specific)

• Microbiological chromogenic media are widely used in pharmaceutical and biotech quality control laboratories for environmental monitoring and for testing raw materials, in‑process samples, and non‑sterile finished products. Their differential coloration can accelerate presumptive identification of Enterococcus contaminants in mixed flora.
• Method suitability/validation: When deploying a chromogenic Enterococcus medium in compendial testing (e.g., microbial limits, water monitoring), laboratories typically perform method suitability to demonstrate recovery and selectivity with product matrices and relevant strains. Specific pharmacopeial references and acceptance criteria are method‑ and jurisdiction‑dependent and are not specified for this item.
• Documentation: Maintain lot traceability and retain CoA and growth promotion testing results. Any deviations from manufacturer preparation instructions should be captured in controlled procedures and validated.

Note

• This SKU’s compliance status with any particular pharmacopeia or regulatory standard is not specified; consult the CoA/Spec Sheet and your quality unit before regulated use.

Physical Properties

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Appearance: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• Molecular weight, molecular formula: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• Storage: 2–8°C; shipped on wet ice.

General properties (literature)

• Physical form: Chromogenic media are commonly supplied as dehydrated powders or ready‑to‑use plates/bottles. Exact form for this SKU is not specified; consult label/CoA.
• Solubility: Dehydrated media are designed to be readily water‑dispersible/soluble in purified water; complete dissolution may require heating with stirring.
• pH: Chromogenic Enterococcus media are typically buffered near neutral pH at the working concentration (literature; exact setpoint not specified for this item).
• Stability: Formulations are generally stable at 2–8°C protected from light and moisture. Chromogenic substrates can be light‑sensitive; minimize exposure during preparation and storage.
• Sterilization: If supplied as dehydrated medium, sterilization is commonly by autoclaving at 121°C for ~15 min (literature guidance). Some chromogenic components are heat‑labile and may be sterile‑filtered and added aseptically after autoclaving; follow product‑specific instructions.

Notes

• Do not rely on generic properties for critical work. For exact reconstitution volumes, pH targets, and any heat‑labile supplement handling, follow the item’s CoA/Spec Sheet.

Quality and Grades

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Grade/Purity: BioReagent.

What BioReagent grade implies (general)

• Intended for laboratory research and microbiological applications. Emphasis is on functional performance (selectivity, differential colony color development, recovery rates) rather than ultra‑high chemical purity for analytical chemistry.
• Typical controls performed for microbiological media may include growth promotion testing (GPT) with target organisms (e.g., Enterococcus faecalis) and selectivity checks against non‑target flora (literature). Exact test panel and acceptance criteria are item‑specific and should be verified on the CoA.
• UV cutoff, metal content, and trace impurity limits are not primary quality metrics for culture media and are not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet if required.

Stabilizers and supplements

• Chromogenic substrates can be sensitive to heat and light; some formulations include stabilizers or supply sensitive components separately for aseptic addition after sterilization. Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

User guidance

• For regulated microbiology (e.g., QC labs), record lot numbers and retain CoA/GPT documentation. Verify medium performance with in‑house controls upon receipt and after any critical storage excursions.

Reaction and Applications

Applicability note

• As a microbiological culture medium, this product is not used as a reagent in synthetic chemical reactions. The relevant “applications” are microbiological.

Microbiological applications (literature)

• Selective isolation and differentiation: Designed to support growth of Enterococcus spp. while inhibiting many non‑enterococcal organisms through selective agents (e.g., bile salts, sodium azide). Chromogenic substrates target enterococcal enzymes (commonly β‑glucosidase), yielding characteristic colony colors to facilitate rapid, presumptive identification.
• Enumeration: Suitable for quantitative plating (CFU counts) of Enterococcus from environmental samples (e.g., water testing) and from process hygiene monitoring in food/biotech settings, subject to local method validation.
• Workflow tips:
  • Sample preparation: Use appropriate diluents; for turbid/particulate samples, pre‑enrichment or membrane filtration may improve recovery.
  • Incubation: Typical enterococcal incubation is 35–37°C for 24–48 h; some environmental monitoring standards specify 41–44°C for thermotolerant enterococci (literature; verify your method).
  • Reading plates: Distinct colony colors indicate presumptive Enterococcus; non‑target colonies, if present, often remain colorless or a different hue. Confirmatory tests (e.g., catalase, esculin hydrolysis, PYR, MALDI‑TOF) are recommended.
  • Controls: Include positive controls (e.g., Enterococcus faecalis reference strain) and negative controls to verify selectivity and chromogen performance.

Reaction Conditions

Not applicable to chemical synthesis

• Reaction conditions in the synthetic chemistry sense do not apply to a culture medium.

Microbiological incubation conditions (general literature guidance)

• Reconstitution and sterilization: If supplied as dehydrated powder, dissolve in purified water with stirring; sterilize by autoclaving at 121°C for ~15 min unless the CoA instructs otherwise. Heat‑labile chromogens or supplements may require sterile filtration and aseptic addition after cooling.
• Plate pouring: Cool sterilized medium to ~45–50°C before pouring plates to minimize condensation and preserve chromogenic integrity.
• Incubation: Typical incubation for Enterococcus recovery is 35–37°C for 24–48 h; some protocols for thermotolerant enterococci specify 41–44°C (literature). Time/temperature should be set by your validated method.

All parameters above are general guidance only. Follow the item’s CoA/Spec Sheet and your laboratory SOPs.

Safety and Handling

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• GHS signal word, hazard statements, pictograms, classification: Not specified for this item; refer to the SDS.
• Storage conditions: Store at 2–8°C. Shipments on wet ice.
• Research use: For research use only.

General safety guidance (literature/practice)

• PPE: Lab coat, appropriate gloves (e.g., nitrile), and safety glasses as minimum. Use a dust mask/respirator if handling dehydrated powders that may aerosolize.
• Biohazard considerations: When used to culture Enterococcus spp. (opportunistic pathogens), treat inoculated media, plates, and all contact materials as biohazardous. Work in a biological safety cabinet for clinical/unknown samples. Follow BSL‑2 practices where applicable. Decontaminate with appropriate disinfectants (e.g., freshly prepared 10% bleach) and autoclave waste.
• Incompatibilities: Avoid contact with strong oxidizers and acids/bases that could degrade organic nutrients or chromogens. Keep dry media away from moisture until use; protect chromogenic substrates from light.
• First aid (overview): If inhaled (powder dust), move to fresh air; if on skin/eyes, rinse with water for several minutes; if ingested, rinse mouth. Seek medical attention per SDS guidance.
• Spill response: Avoid creating dust. Sweep/HEPA‑vacuum dry spills; for solutions, absorb with inert material. Disinfect surfaces if biological material may be present.

Always consult the product SDS for authoritative hazard, toxicological, and disposal information.

Solvent Selection

Applicability note

• This product is a culture medium, not a solvent. Solvent selection per se is not applicable. The relevant “solvent” is the water used for reconstitution.

Water quality considerations (general literature guidance)

• Use purified water meeting microbiological media specifications (e.g., Type II or better):
  • Resistivity ≥ 1 MΩ·cm, TOC low, and free of disinfectant residues that can inhibit growth.
  • Endotoxin and microbial load should be minimized; for critical applications, freshly produced, sterile water is preferred.
• Dissolution: Add medium gradually to vigorously stirred water to prevent clumping; gentle heating can aid dissolution. Avoid overheating that may degrade chromogens.
• Miscibility: Fully water‑miscible; organic solvents are not used for media preparation.

When to choose this medium vs alternatives (general)

• Choose a chromogenic Enterococcus medium when rapid, color‑based differentiation of Enterococcus colonies is desired directly from mixed samples (environmental, food, water, or research specimens).
• Alternatives include non‑chromogenic selective media (e.g., bile esculin azide agar) or broader enterococcal recovery broths, with tradeoffs in turnaround time and specificity. Chromogenic formulations typically provide faster presumptive identification via colony color.

Storage and Reconstitution

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Storage: Store at 2–8°C.
• Shipping: Wet ice.
• Appearance, reconstitution ratio, working concentration, pH setpoint: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

General guidance (literature)

• Protection: Keep containers tightly closed. Protect from moisture and light, particularly to preserve chromogenic substrates. If supplied as plates, store in the dark in sealed sleeves to prevent desiccation.
• Reconstitution: Use purified water. Add medium slowly under vigorous stirring to avoid clumping. Heat gently to aid dissolution. Do not overheat; excessive heat can degrade chromogens.
• Sterilization: Autoclave at 121°C for ~15 min unless otherwise specified. If any components are designated heat‑labile, sterile‑filter and add aseptically after cooling the base medium to ~45–50°C.
• Post‑prep storage: Freshly prepared plates are best used within a few weeks when stored at 2–8°C in the dark; monitor for drying and color changes. Liquid medium should be stored at 2–8°C and used promptly per lab SOPs.
• Freeze–thaw: Avoid freezing finished plates or complete medium unless validated; repeated freeze–thaw can precipitate components and impair chromogen performance.

Always defer to the lot‑specific CoA/Spec Sheet and your laboratory SOPs for exact preparation, pH targets, volumes, and shelf‑life.

Structure and Identity

Item-specific facts (from Product Data)

• Product type: Enterococcus Chromogenic Medium (microbiological culture medium; complex mixture)
• Grade: BioReagent
• Storage: 2–8°C; shipped on wet ice
• CAS, SMILES, InChIKey, Molecular formula, Molecular weight: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

General description (literature)

• Composition nature: Complex, multi‑component medium typically containing peptones/yeast extract (nutrients), mineral salts/buffers, selective agents (e.g., bile salts, sodium azide) to suppress Gram‑negatives and many Gram‑positives, and one or more chromogenic enzyme substrates that release an insoluble or colored dye upon hydrolysis by Enterococcus enzymes (often β‑glucosidase).
• Structural features: Not a single defined molecule; the “structure” is a formulation. Chromogenic components are usually glycosides of color developers (e.g., indoxyl/aryl derivatives) that yield distinct colony colors after enzymatic cleavage.
• 2D/functional overview: Nutrient matrix + buffer + selective inhibitors + chromogens. No stereochemical identity is applicable because the product is a mixture.

Scope note

• As a culture medium/formulation, conventional identifiers used for pure chemicals (e.g., InChIKey, SMILES) do not apply. Users should consult the lot-specific Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for precise ingredient lists and any quantitative specifications.

Synthetic Utility

Not applicable

• This product is a microbiological culture medium intended for growth, selection, and differentiation of microorganisms. It is not used as a reagent or building block in chemical synthesis, and it does not participate in named organic reactions.

Practical note

• If your workflow combines chemical synthesis with microbiological testing (e.g., screening antimicrobial candidates), use the medium exclusively in the bioassay phase and segregate from chemical reaction areas to avoid cross‑contamination.

Target Specificity

Not applicable

• This section is intended for immunoreagents (antibodies, affinity reagents). For a culture medium, no antigen/epitope/clone/isotype data exist.

Context (general)

• Chromogenic Enterococcus media are formulated for selective recovery and presumptive differentiation of organisms within the genus Enterococcus. Exact selectivity spectrum and colony color scheme are formulation‑dependent and are not specified for this item; verify with controls per your method.