Baird-Parker Agar Base

Product Overview:

Baird-Parker Agar Base is a highly selective medium used for the detection and enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci, particularly *Staphylococcus aureus*, from food, clinical, and other materials. This agar base is widely used in microbiology laboratories for food safety testing, clinical diagnostics, and quality control.

Applications:

– Microbiological Examination: Ideal for the cultivation and quantification of *Staphylococcus aureus*, a common cause of foodborne illness.
– Food Safety: Commonly used in the food industry to test for *S. aureus* contamination in food products.
– Clinical Diagnosis: Used in clinical microbiology to diagnose infections caused by coagulase-positive staphylococci.

Features:

– Selective and Differential: Formulated with potassium tellurite and lithium chloride, which specifically inhibit non-staphylococcal organisms, promoting the growth of staphylococci.
– Appearance: The light amber color of the medium enhances the growth of coagulase-positive staphylococci.
– Enrichment: When combined with egg yolk emulsion, the medium increases the detection sensitivity of *S. aureus*, forming characteristic black colonies due to tellurite reduction.

Specifications:

– pH: 7.0 ± 0.2 at 25°C
– Storage: Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.

Usage Instructions:

1. Suspend the prescribed amount of Baird-Parker Agar Base in distilled water.
   2. Autoclave at 121°C for 15 minutes to sterilize.
   3. Cool the medium to 45°C before pouring it into plates.
   4. Inoculate the surface of the agar with the sample and incubate at 37°C for 24-48 hours after the agar has solidified.

Key Benefits:

– High Sensitivity: The selectivity of the medium helps isolate low-level populations of *S. aureus*, even in the presence of other microflora.
– Quality Control: Reliable for microbiological testing of food and clinical specimens to detect staphylococci.
– Dependable Results: Provides consistent, reproducible results, making it a primary medium for microbiology labs.

Storage and Handling:

– Shelf Life: 12 months from the date of manufacture when stored correctly.
– Storage Temperature: Keep between 2°C and 8°C to maintain integrity.

Related Products:

– Salmonella-Shigella (SS) Agar: A differential medium that inhibits Gram-positive bacteria and some Gram-negative bacteria, commonly used in teaching courses with indicator organisms.
– Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633: An indicator organism frequently used to check the performance of Baird-Parker Agar Base.