Description
Specifications Table
| Product Name | Mannitol Salt Agar Plate | MPH118-20PT | Himedia |
|---|---|
| Quantity/Pack Size | 20 plates |
| Form | Pre-poured plates |
| Grade | Laboratory grade |
| Application | Selective isolation of pathogenic staphylococci |
Product Description
Mannitol Salt Agar Plate | MPH118-20PT | Himedia is a ready-to-use selective and differential microbiological culture medium designed for the isolation and preliminary differentiation of salt-tolerant microorganisms, particularly Staphylococcus species. The medium is widely used in microbiology laboratories for screening samples where the recovery and differentiation of staphylococci are required.
The high concentration of sodium chloride provides the selective property of the medium by inhibiting the growth of many microorganisms that are unable to tolerate elevated salt concentrations. Salt-tolerant organisms, including many members of the genus Staphylococcus, can grow under these conditions, allowing the target organisms to be recovered while reducing background microbial growth.
Mannitol Salt Agar also contains mannitol and phenol red, which provide its differential properties. Microorganisms capable of fermenting mannitol produce acidic end products that lower the pH of the surrounding medium. This causes the phenol red indicator to change color, allowing mannitol-fermenting organisms to be differentiated from organisms that do not ferment mannitol.
Staphylococcus aureus is commonly screened using Mannitol Salt Agar because it can tolerate the elevated salt concentration and typically ferments mannitol. This may result in a characteristic yellow coloration of the medium surrounding colonies. Other staphylococci may grow without producing the same degree of color change. However, these reactions are considered presumptive and should be confirmed using appropriate biochemical, molecular, or other validated identification methods.
The MPH118-20PT format is supplied as a prepared, ready-to-use agar plate. This eliminates the need for laboratories to prepare the medium, sterilize it, and pour individual plates before testing. The ready-to-use format can help reduce preparation time, support consistent testing conditions, and simplify routine microbiological workflows.
Mannitol Salt Agar Plates can be used in clinical microbiology, food and beverage testing, pharmaceutical quality control, environmental microbiology, research, and educational laboratories. They are useful for preliminary screening of samples for salt-tolerant staphylococci and for selecting colonies for further identification.
The prepared plate should be stored and handled according to the manufacturer’s recommended conditions. Samples should be inoculated using appropriate aseptic techniques, and incubation and result interpretation should follow the applicable laboratory method. Colony morphology and color changes should always be evaluated alongside appropriate controls and confirmatory procedures when definitive identification is required.
Overall, the Himedia Mannitol Salt Agar Plate provides a convenient ready-to-use medium that combines high-salt selectivity with mannitol fermentation-based differentiation, supporting efficient isolation and preliminary screening of Staphylococcus species in routine microbiological workflows.
FAQs
1. What is Mannitol Salt Agar Plate used for?
Mannitol Salt Agar Plate is primarily used for the selective isolation and preliminary differentiation of salt-tolerant microorganisms, especially Staphylococcus species, from clinical, food, environmental, and other samples.
2. How does Mannitol Salt Agar differentiate microorganisms?
The high sodium chloride concentration selects for salt-tolerant organisms, while mannitol and phenol red help differentiate microorganisms according to their ability to ferment mannitol and produce an associated color change in the medium.
3. What is the typical reaction of Staphylococcus aureus on this medium?
Staphylococcus aureus can tolerate the high salt concentration and typically ferments mannitol, which may produce a yellow color change in the medium surrounding the colonies. Additional testing is required for confirmation.
4. Is the MPH118-20PT plate ready to use?
Yes. The MPH118-20PT product is supplied as a prepared, ready-to-use agar plate, reducing the need for in-house media preparation, sterilization, and plate pouring.
5. What is the pack size and product code?
The product code is MPH118-20PT, and the product is supplied as a pack of 20 ready-to-use plates manufactured by Himedia.
