The Salty Medium: Milk Salt Agar
Milk Salt Agar Base is used for the selective isolation and cultivation of Staphylococcus species. Koch reported that only Staphylococci could grow on agar media containing 7.5% sodium chloride. Chapman used this property in his modification of Koch's medium to make the medium selective due to the high salt content. Staphylococcus is a Gram-positive bacterial genus. They are spherical (cocci) in shape and form grape-like clusters. They are facultative anaerobic organisms, which means they can grow in both aerobic and anaerobic environments. It can cause a wide range of diseases in humans and animals by producing toxins or penetrating the skin. Toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus are a common cause of food poisoning. Composition of Milk Salt Agar Ingredients Gms / Ltr Peptic digest of animal tissue 5.00 Beef extract 3.00 Sodium chloride 65.00 Agar 15.00