Baird Parker Agar (ISO) Base (Dehydrated) provides a selective and reliable method for the isolation, enumeration, and identification of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus in food samples, in strict adherence to ISO 6888-1:1999 standards.

This medium incorporates a balanced blend of selective inhibitory agents (glycine, lithium, and tellurite) to suppress most background flora while allowing Staphylococcus aureus to thrive. The crucial additions of egg yolk emulsion and sodium pyruvate facilitate the recovery and presumptive identification of damaged S. aureus cells.

Key features for easy interpretation:

• Staphylococcus aureus colonies appear grey-black and shiny, typically surrounded by a clear zone (due to proteolysis of egg yolk) after 48 hours. Most strains also develop an opaque halo upon further incubation.
• While some Staphylococcus saprophyticus strains may produce similar reactions, they usually require longer incubation.
• Colonies characteristic of S. aureus but lacking an egg yolk reaction, especially those from cheese, should be confirmed with a coagulase test.

Baird-Parker Agar is widely recognized and recommended by national and international bodies for its efficacy in isolating Staphylococcus aureus.

Catalog: CM1127