SALT MEAT BROTH

Description

Salt Meat Broth is an enrichment medium used for the isolation of halophilic staphylococci from contaminated samples such as faeces especially in case of food poisoning. The medium is sensitive as it can detect even low numbers of staphylococci from samples having large proportions of heterogeneous microbial flora. The medium is selective for staphylococci because of the presence of sodium chloride in high concentration. Staphylococcus aureus is tolerant to high concentration of sodium chloride that inhibits most other bacteria. Salt Meat Broth can also be used to cultivate some halophilic micrococci associated with hides and raw salt supplies. Staphylococci growing on this medium cannot be directly tested for coagulase production; therefore they should be first subcultured on a medium containing less salt such as Blood Agar.