TCBS Agar (Selective) is supplied by Micromaster. It is available in the form of a light yellow to light tan homogeneous free flowing powder with a pH in the range of 8.4 to 8.8. This product should be stored between 10-30C in a tightly closed container. Once opened, it should be properly stored, after tightly capping the bottle. Due to the hygroscopic nature of the product, there could be chances of lump formation which can be avoided by proper storage. Store in dry ventilated area protected from extremes of temperature and sources of ignition.

Quantity provided: 500 g/pack

TCBS Agar is recommended for the selective isolation and cultivation of Vibrio cholerae and other enteropathogenic Vibrio causing food poisoning from clinical and food specimens as per Indian standards published by BIS. TCBS Agar was developed by Kobayashi et al, who modified the selective medium of Nakanishi. Although this medium was originally designed for the isolation of V.cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus, most Vibrios grow to healthy large colonies with many different colonial morphologies. Proteose peptone and yeast extract provide nitrogenous compounds, vitamin B complex and other essential growth nutrients. Bile, a derivative of bile salts and sodium citrate inhibit gram-positive bacteria and coliforms. Sodium thiosulphate serves as a good source of sulphur, which in combination with ferric citrate detects the production of hydrogen sulphide. For the metabolism of Vibrios, sucrose is added as a fermentable carbohydrate. The species which are able to utilize sucrose will from yellow colonies. Bromothymol blue and thymol blue are the pH indicators. The alkaline pH of the medium improves the recovery of V.cholerae. Strains of V.cholerae produce yellow colonies on TCBS Agar because of fermentation of sucrose. V.alginolyticus also produce yellow colonies. V.parahaemolyticus and V.vulnificus are sucrose non-fermenting organisms and produce blue-green colonies.