Description
Specifications Table
| Product Name | Mannitol Salt Agar Plate (Triple Pack) |
|---|---|
| Quantity/Pack Size | 10 plates |
| Form | Pre-poured agar plates |
| Grade | Laboratory grade |
| Application | Selective isolation of Staphylococcus species |
Product Description
Mannitol Salt Agar Plate (Triple Pack) | MPH118T-10PT | 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. It is commonly used in microbiology laboratories for screening samples where selective recovery and differentiation of staphylococci are required.
The medium contains a high concentration of sodium chloride, which provides selective conditions by inhibiting many microorganisms that are unable to tolerate elevated salt concentrations. Salt-tolerant organisms, including many Staphylococcus species, can grow under these conditions, helping reduce background microbial growth and making suspected colonies easier to examine.
Mannitol Salt Agar also contains mannitol and phenol red, which provide the differential properties of the medium. Microorganisms capable of fermenting mannitol produce acidic metabolic products that lower the pH of the medium. This causes the phenol red indicator to change color, allowing mannitol-fermenting microorganisms to be distinguished 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 produce a yellow coloration in the medium surrounding the colonies. Other salt-tolerant staphylococci may grow without producing the same characteristic reaction. These observations are considered presumptive and should be confirmed using suitable biochemical, molecular, or other validated identification methods.
The MPH118T-10PT format is supplied in a convenient triple-pack configuration, providing additional packaging protection for the prepared plates during handling, storage, and laboratory use. The ready-to-use format eliminates the need to prepare, sterilize, and pour the agar manually, helping reduce preparation time and supporting consistent 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 that require further identification or characterization.
The prepared plates should be stored according to the manufacturer’s recommended conditions and handled using appropriate aseptic techniques. Inoculation, incubation, examination, and interpretation should follow the applicable laboratory procedure and validated testing method. Appropriate controls should be included wherever required.
Overall, the Himedia Mannitol Salt Agar Plate (Triple Pack) provides a convenient ready-to-use selective and differential medium for the recovery and preliminary differentiation of Staphylococcus species, combining high-salt selectivity with mannitol fermentation-based indicator reactions in a practical prepared plate format.
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 microbiological samples.
2. How does Mannitol Salt Agar differentiate microorganisms?
The high sodium chloride concentration selects for salt-tolerant organisms, while mannitol and phenol red 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 Mannitol Salt Agar?
Staphylococcus aureus can tolerate the high salt concentration and typically ferments mannitol, which may produce a yellow color change in the surrounding medium. Confirmatory testing is required for definitive identification.
4. What is the benefit of the triple-pack format?
The triple-pack configuration provides an additional packaging arrangement that can help protect the prepared plates during handling, storage, and laboratory use while maintaining their integrity when stored according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
5. What is the product code and pack size?
The product code is MPH118T-10PT, and the product is supplied as a 10-plate pack in triple-pack packaging manufactured by Himedia.
