Table 1.
Selective agar composition for viable plate counts.
| Bacterial group | Exclusion agar | Supplement | Growth conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| All bacteria | Brain heart infusion agar | None |
Aerobic, 18 h Anaerobic, 36 h |
| Gram negative | Eosin-methylene blue agar | None |
Aerobic, 18 h Anaerobic, 36 h |
| Gram positive | Phenylethyl alcohol agar | None |
Aerobic, 18 h Anaerobic, 36 h |
| Bifidobacteria spp. | BSC propionate agar base | Bifido selective supplement A (FD062) | Anaerobic, 36 h |
| Lactobacillus spp. | Man-Rogosa-sharpe agar | Vancomycin | Aerobic, 18 h |
| Staphylococcus spp. | Mannitol salt agar | None | Anaerobic, 36 h |
| Enterococcus spp. | Selective enterococcus agar | None | Anaerobic, 36 h |
| Streptococcus spp. | KF-streptococcus agar | Triphenyltetrazolium chloride | Anaerobic, 36 h |
| Bacteroides spp. | Bacteriodes bile esculin agar base | Bacteriodes selective supplement | Anaerobic, 36 h |
| Coliforms | Violet red bile agar | None | Anaerobic, 36 h |
| Escherichia coli | MacConkey agar | Sorbitol | Aerobic, 18 h |