MUG VIOLET RED BILE AGAR

Description

Escherichia coli is used as an indicator organism to determine unsanitary conditions. A number of selective media are recommended for use in enrichment, presumptive identification and confirmatory procedures for demonstrating the presence of coliforms. These procedures require longer incubation period. Violet Red Bile Agar is recommended by APHA for the detection and enumeration of coliforms in foods and dairy products. Addition of MUG to this medium permits the rapid detection of E. coli, when the medium is observed for fluorescence under UV light, requiring no further confirmation. E. coli possesses the enzyme beta-glucuronidase which specifically cleaves MUG to form a fluorogenic compound 4-methylumbelliferone, which results in visible blue-green fluorescence. MUG Violet Red Bile Agar is therefore recommended for the specific detection of E. coli.