Nutrient Agar - BioReagent

Cat. No.: N1523354

QUALITÉ & PURETÉ BioReagent, Suitable for microbiology

Storage

Protected from light,Room temperature

Shipped In

Normal

Application

1154

Vue d’ensemble

Used for the culture of general bacteria and the determination of total aerobic bacterial count.

Scope of Application:

Application	Category
Non-selective enumeration	Mesophilic aerobic bacteria

Principle and Intended Use:

Peptone and beef extract powder supply nitrogen sources, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients; sodium chloride maintains balanced osmotic pressure; agar acts as a gelling agent.

Medium Formula (per Liter):

Composition	Content
Peptone	10.0g
Beef Extract Powder	3.0g
Sodium Chloride	5.0g
Agar	15.0g
pH (25℃)	7.1±0.1

Microbiological Testing:

Testing is performed in accordance with the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China for Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Salmonella paratyphi B.

Quality Control Strain & No.	Growth (Recovery Rate)	Colony Characteristics
Staphylococcus aureus CMCC(B)26003	0.5–2.0	Golden yellow colonies
Pseudomonas aeruginosa CMCC(B)10104	0.5–2.0	Yellowish-green colonies with green pigment production
Bacillus subtilis CMCC(B)63501	0.5–2.0	Off-white irregular colonies
Escherichia coli CMCC(B)44102	0.5–2.0	Colourless colonies
Salmonella paratyphi B CMCC(B)50094	0.5–2.0	Colourless colonies

Note: Inoculum size: 10–100 CFU, Incubation conditions: 35°C, 24 h.

Instructions for Use:

Weigh 33.0 g of this product and add it to 1 L of purified water. Heat and stir until completely dissolved, dispense, autoclave at 115 °C for 30 min, cool to approximately 50 °C, pour into plates, and set aside for use.

Precautions:

1. Take necessary protective measures when weighing the medium to avoid physical discomfort.

2. Store the medium in a dark and dry place. Tighten the cap immediately after use to prevent moisture absorption and caking.

3. Discard used medium only after autoclaving at 121 °C for 30 minutes.

4. This product is not intended for clinical testing.

Spécifications

Spécifications et pureté

BioReagent, Suitable for microbiology

Stabilité et stockage

Store at room temperature long term (36 months).Store in the dark.

Conditions de stockage de stockage

Protected from light,Room temperature

Expédié en

Normal

Grade

BioReagent, Suitable for microbiology

Product Line

Produits biologiques

Propriétés chimiques et physiques

• Sensibilité: Light-sensitive

Application Protocols

• Item-specific tested applications: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• Literature/general protocol for plate preparation (not item-specific):

  1. Weigh the dehydrated medium at the manufacturer-recommended concentration (commonly ~23 g/L; verify for this item).
  2. Add to purified water and stir to disperse. Heat to boiling until fully dissolved.
  3. Autoclave at 121 °C for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to 45–50 °C.
  4. Optionally add sterile supplements at 45–50 °C if required by your application.
  5. Pour 20–25 mL per 90-mm sterile Petri dish. Let solidify. Dry plates in a sterile hood until the surface is free of visible moisture. Store inverted at 2–8 °C if long-term storage is needed (general practice) and use within recommended time.

• Inoculation and incubation (general):

  • Streak for isolation using sterile loops; incubate inverted plates at organism-appropriate temperature and atmosphere.
  • For quantitative assays, plate appropriate dilution series and target 30–300 CFU per plate; incubate and count colonies.

• Quality checks (general):

  • Perform growth promotion testing and sterility checks per lab SOPs. Record lot numbers, preparation date, and pH of the medium after sterilization.

Biological Roles

Nutrient Agar itself does not play a biological role in vivo; rather, it provides a supportive environment ex vivo for microbial growth.

• Literature/general component functions (not item-specific):

  • Peptone (protein hydrolysate): supplies amino acids, peptides, and nitrogen.
  • Beef/yeast extract: provides water-soluble vitamins, carbohydrates, and growth factors.
  • Sodium chloride: maintains osmotic balance approximating physiological salinity for many bacteria.
  • Agar: an inert, nonnutritive gelling agent forming a semi-solid matrix that restricts convection and enables discrete colony formation from individual cells.

• Use cases in microbiology:

  • Cultivation and maintenance of nonfastidious bacteria and some fungi under aerobic conditions.
  • Colony morphology assessment and isolation streaking for pure culture derivation.
  • Enumeration techniques (spread-plate, pour-plate) where a nonselective background is preferred to minimize bias.

• Limitations (general):

  • Does not specifically enrich fastidious organisms requiring additional growth factors (e.g., blood, serum, or defined supplements).
  • Lacks selective agents; competing flora will grow. For targeted recovery, employ selective/differential media tailored to the organism of interest.

Buffer Applications

Not typically applicable. Nutrient Agar is not used as a buffering system; rather, it is a composite culture medium that may contain inherent buffering capacity from its components but is selected for microbial growth performance, not for precise pH buffering.

• Literature/general note:
  • Prepared media are commonly adjusted to a target pH (often near neutral) prior to sterilization, but dedicated buffer systems (e.g., phosphate, Tris) should be used when stringent buffering is required for biochemical assays.

Green Alternatives

While “green alternatives” are typically discussed for organic solvents and reagents, sustainability considerations can also be applied to microbiological media.

• Literature/general sustainability considerations (not item-specific):

  • Agar source: Consider suppliers using responsibly harvested seaweed and transparent supply chains. Plant-based peptones/yeast extracts can reduce animal-derived inputs.
  • Energy use: Optimize autoclave loads and cycle times; prepare media in batches to maximize sterilizer efficiency. Use insulated flasks and rapid-cooling water baths to reduce dwell times.
  • Waste reduction: Prepare only volumes needed; store unused sterile molten agar at 45–50 °C short-term to avoid repeated melt cycles. Consider reusable glass Petri dishes where appropriate and permitted.
  • Alternatives to general-purpose agar when appropriate: For high-throughput bioburden testing, ready-to-use pre-poured plates from validated sources may reduce on-site energy/water consumption and packaging waste if logistics are optimized.

• Trade-offs:

  • Ready-to-use plates save energy/water in-house but increase cold-chain/packaging impacts. In-house preparation allows customization and reduced shipping weight but requires autoclave and energy inputs.
  • Animal-free (vegan) nutrient agars exist but may alter growth characteristics for some organisms; validate against your target strains before adoption.

Pharmaceutical Uses

No therapeutic or clinical claims. For research use only (per Product Data).

• Literature/general roles in pharmaceutical and industrial microbiology (not item-specific):

  • Routine environmental monitoring and surface bioburden checks using general-purpose plates to capture a broad spectrum of nonfastidious microorganisms.
  • Nonselective baseline medium for growth promotion testing (GPT) controls when validating selective media or disinfectant efficacy studies.
  • Maintenance of reference strains used in QC laboratories.

• Compliance considerations:

  • When work requires compendial or validated media (e.g., USP/EP/JP monographs or GMP QC testing), ensure the specific product and lot are qualified accordingly. This item is labeled BioReagent and research use only; verify suitability before use in regulated workflows.

• Practical tips (general):

  • Document lot numbers and perform incoming GPT with pharmacopoeial challenge organisms if required by your quality system.
  • Standardize plate pour volumes and drying conditions to ensure consistent recovery and colony morphology across lots.

Physical Properties

• Item-specific facts (from Product Data):

  • Appearance: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • Storage conditions: Room temperature (per Product Data).
  • Shipped in: Normal (per Product Data).

• Literature/general values and expectations (not item-specific):

  • Physical state: beige to light tan, free-flowing dehydrated powder or granules (varies by lot/vendor).
  • Solubility: Dispersible in water; requires heating to dissolve fully. Forms a gel upon cooling (agar gelation typically occurs ~32–40 °C; melting commonly >80–90 °C, literature ranges depend on agar content and composition).
  • pH after preparation: Common formulations target approximately pH 6.8 ± 0.2 at 25 °C (literature), but the exact specification should be verified on the CoA for this item.
  • Density/bulk density: Highly formulation- and granulation-dependent; Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • Refractive index, logP, pKa, boiling/melting points: Not applicable to this complex dehydrated mixture; agar gel shows thermo-reversible behavior rather than a single melting point.

• Practical handling properties (general):

  • Upon hydration and sterilization, the medium solidifies to a firm, translucent gel in Petri plates or slants, supporting colony formation and morphological observation for a wide range of nonfastidious microbes.

Quality and Grades

• Item-specific facts (from Product Data):

  • Grade/Purity: BioReagent.

• What BioReagent grade generally implies (literature/general):

  • Suitable for biological and microbiological laboratory workflows, with controls on bioburden, nutrient performance, and contaminant levels consistent with research use. May not carry pharmacopeial monographs or clinical diagnostic certification.
  • Emphasis is on functional performance (e.g., growth promotion testing, gel strength, and final pH) rather than narrow chemical purity as for analytical reagents.

• Performance characteristics typically assessed (not item-specific):

  • Growth Promotion Testing (GPT) with representative strains to confirm support for nonfastidious organisms.
  • Final pH of prepared medium within a stated range (commonly ~6.8 at 25 °C; confirm on CoA).
  • Gel strength and clarity appropriate for colony morphology assessment.
  • Low inhibitory substances (e.g., minimal heavy metal or antibiotic carryover) assessed by performance rather than numerical limits unless specified.

• Practical implications for users:

  • For research and routine microbiology in academia and industry (QC labs, strain maintenance). If regulatory or pharmacopeial compliance (e.g., USP/EP/JP) is required, verify if this specific lot meets those standards; otherwise select a product explicitly labeled for such compliance.
  • Always review the product’s CoA/Spec Sheet for lot-specific performance metrics and any stabilizers or supplements included, if applicable.

Reaction and Applications

Chemical reaction use is not applicable. Instead, this product is used for microbiological applications.

• Literature/general applications (not item-specific):

  • General-purpose cultivation of nonfastidious microorganisms for teaching labs, environmental monitoring, and basic QC checks.
  • Plate counts and colony isolation from mixed samples (e.g., soil, water, food surfaces) where a nonselective medium is desired.
  • Maintenance of laboratory strains and stock cultures as slants or stabs.
  • Morphological observation of colonies (size, shape, pigmentation, hemolysis not expected on nutrient agar, etc.).

• Practical tips (general):

  • Ensure complete dissolution by bringing the suspension to a rolling boil with stirring prior to sterilization; incomplete melting of agar leads to weak gel and inhomogeneity.
  • After autoclaving, cool to ~45–50 °C before pouring plates to minimize condensation and avoid thermal damage to any supplements.
  • Dry plates (lids ajar in a sterile hood) until surface sheen disappears for optimal streaking; excessive moisture can cause swarming or spreading colonies.
  • For quantitative plate counts, validate pour-plate or spread-plate methods and dilution schemes; incubate under appropriate temperature and atmosphere for target organisms.

Reaction Conditions

Classical chemical reaction conditions do not apply. The relevant context is microbiological preparation and incubation.

• Literature/general preparation conditions (not item-specific; verify against CoA/SOPs):

  • Typical working concentration: Many standard formulations use approximately 23 g of dehydrated medium per liter of purified water to prepare Nutrient Agar; exact mass depends on formulation and desired gel strength.
  • Dissolution: Suspend in water with stirring; heat to boiling until completely dissolved.
  • Sterilization: Autoclave at 121 °C for 15 minutes (15 psi). Allow to cool to ~45–50 °C before pouring plates (20–25 mL per 90-mm plate commonly used).
  • Incubation: After inoculation, incubate plates inverted to reduce condensation. Temperature/time depend on organism (e.g., many mesophilic bacteria at 30–37 °C for 18–48 h; adjust as needed).

• Expected outcomes (general):

  • Firm, clear to slightly opalescent gel; well-isolated colonies for streaked cultures; countable plates (30–300 CFU) for quantitative methods when appropriate dilutions are used.

Safety and Handling

• Item-specific hazard information (from Product Data):

  • Signal word: Not specified for this item; refer to SDS.
  • H-statements: Not specified for this item; refer to SDS.
  • GHS classification: Not specified for this item; refer to SDS.
  • Pictograms: Not specified for this item; refer to SDS.

• General safety considerations (literature/general; defer to SDS):

  • Nutrient Agar is generally considered of low inherent chemical hazard; main risks are dust inhalation, eye irritation, and hot-liquid burns during preparation.
  • Avoid generating dust/aerosols. Use local exhaust when weighing and dissolving powders.
  • PPE: lab coat, safety glasses or face shield, and appropriate gloves. Use heat-resistant gloves when handling hot media and glassware.
  • First aid (overview): If inhaled, move to fresh air; if in eyes, rinse cautiously with water for several minutes; if on skin, wash with soap and water. Seek medical attention if irritation persists. Consult SDS for full guidance.
  • Microbiological risk: Once prepared and inoculated, plates and media can contain viable microorganisms. Treat all used media as biohazardous; follow institutional biosafety procedures for containment and autoclave decontamination before disposal.
  • Thermal/pressure hazards: Autoclaving at 121 °C/15 psi presents burn and pressure risks. Do not tightly cap vessels during sterilization; vent appropriately and allow pressure to normalize before opening.
  • Incompatibilities: Strong oxidizers and strong acids/bases can degrade organic constituents. Avoid contamination with microbial cultures prior to intended use.

Solvent Selection

This product is a dehydrated microbiological medium rather than a reagent intended for organic synthesis. Classic solvent selection paradigms (polarity, dielectric constant) are not applicable.

• Item-specific facts:

  • Storage at room temperature; shipped under normal conditions.

• Literature/general preparation considerations:

  • Solvent for preparation: purified water (e.g., deionized or distilled). Dissolution requires heating to near boiling to fully solubilize agar before sterilization.
  • Miscibility: Not relevant; the powder is hydrated in water to form a homogeneous solution that gels on cooling.
  • Additives/supplements: Selective agents, indicators, or enrichments can be added after sterilization and cooling to ~45–50 °C to avoid thermal degradation (general guidance).

• Choosing Nutrient Agar vs alternatives (general):

  • Nutrient Agar provides a nonselective, general-purpose surface for many nonfastidious bacteria and some fungi.
  • For fastidious organisms, enriched media (e.g., Blood Agar) may be preferred. For selection/differentiation, use selective/differential agars (e.g., MacConkey, Mannitol Salt), depending on application.

Storage and Reconstitution

• Item-specific storage and shipping (from Product Data):

  • Storage conditions: Room temperature.
  • Shipped in: Normal.
  • Research Use Note: For research use only.

• Reconstitution and preparation (literature/general; verify against CoA/SOPs):

  • Hydrate in purified water at the recommended concentration (commonly ~23 g/L for many Nutrient Agar formulations; confirm for this item). Heat to dissolve completely and autoclave at 121 °C for 15 minutes.
  • After sterilization, cool to 45–50 °C before pouring plates or forming slants. Avoid overheating supplements.

• Storage of prepared media (general practice, not item-specific):

  • Plates: Store inverted in sealed sleeves or containers to minimize desiccation, typically at 2–8 °C. Allow to equilibrate to room temperature and dry surface condensation before use.
  • Slants/broths: Store at 2–8 °C. Avoid repeated melt cycles; prolonged holding at elevated temperatures can hydrolyze agar and reduce gel strength.

• Stability notes (general):

  • Protect dehydrated powder from moisture; reseal promptly with desiccant if available. Do not use if caking, discoloration, or contamination is observed.
  • For authoritative, lot-specific shelf life and preparation instructions, consult the product’s CoA/Spec Sheet and SDS.

Structure and Identity

Brief overview: Nutrient Agar is a dehydrated, composite microbiological growth medium, not a single, defined chemical entity. As such, conventional single-compound identifiers (CAS, InChIKey, SMILES) do not apply.

• Item-specific facts (from Product Data):

  • Product name: Nutrient Agar (SKU: N1523354)
  • Grade: BioReagent
  • CAS: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • Molecular formula: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • Molecular weight: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• Literature/general description of composition (not item-specific):

  • Typical components include a protein hydrolysate (e.g., peptone), beef or yeast extract, sodium chloride, and agar as the gelling polysaccharide. Exact sources and proportions vary by manufacturer/specification.
  • Agar is a mixture of galactose-based polysaccharides (primarily agarose and agaropectin) obtained from red algae; it provides a thermo-reversible gel matrix.

• Structural features (literature/general):

  • Heterogeneous mixture of small peptides, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals (from peptone/extract), and high–molecular weight polysaccharides (agar). No single 2D structure can represent the product.
  • Solid flakes or powder that forms a firm gel upon hydration and heating then cooling.

• Identity confirmation (general practices):

  • Performance-based identity is established by growth promotion testing (GPT) with representative nonfastidious organisms (e.g., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus), gel strength observation, and pH verification after preparation.

Synthetic Utility

Not applicable to organic synthesis. Nutrient Agar is a culture medium rather than a chemical building block or reagent used in synthetic transformations.

• If your workflow involves metabolite or enzyme production by microbes:
  • Literature/general note: Nutrient Agar can be used for colony isolation and maintenance of production strains before transferring to liquid media optimized for biosynthesis. However, the agar medium itself is not a reagent in chemical synthesis.

Target Specificity

Not applicable. This product is a nonselective, general-purpose culture medium and is not targeted to a specific antigen, epitope, or species. It supports growth of many nonfastidious microorganisms, but does not include selective agents to restrict growth to particular taxa.