Prepared Tubed, Bottled Media
macerate and immerse the electrode. Alternatively, a pH agents in selective media may inhibit some strains of the
electrode designed for flat surfaces may be used.
XII. Limitations of the Procedure
Some diagnostic tests may be performed with the primary plate
(e.g., BBL™ CHROMagar™ media). However, a pure culture is
recommended for the majority of biochemical tests and other
identification procedures. Consult appropriate references for
further information.
Since the nutritional requirements of organisms vary, a single
medium is rarely adequate for detecting all organisms of potential
significance in a clinical specimen or industrial sample. The
Prepared Tubed, Bottled and Mycoflask™ Media
I. Introduction
Since 1952, BD has been a leading manufacturer of pre-
pared tubed and bottled media. BBL™ prepared tubed and
bottled media consist of BBL™ and, in some cases Difco™,
dehydrated culture media prepared and poured into a variety
of sizes ready for immediate use. Some formulations are also
supplied in Mycoflask bottles which provide a greater surface
area for inoculation. Each lot of BBL and Difco prepared
tubed, bottled and Mycoflask media is manufactured from
pretested components and the final product is quarantined
during quality control testing.
Prepared Tubed Media
BBL prepared tubed media are provided in several sizes of
glassware depending on the application of the individual culture
medium. Catalog listings indicate the type of tube in each
instance. Dimensions of each of the tubes are shown below.
A tube size 20 × 148 mm with cap
C tube size 20 × 112 mm with cap
D tube size 16.5 × 128 mm with cap
K tube size 16 × 102 mm with cap
Tubes are borosilicate glass with black screw caps securely
fitted to prevent loss of moisture. A special resilient rubber liner
is affixed inside each cap with a unique adhesive that resists
displacement even during autoclaving. Larger-sized tubes
permit easy inoculation or streaking of media. Prepared slanted
media are supplied in tubes with optimal dimensions that
provide a large surface for inoculation. This is especially
desirable in examining specimens for the presence of Myco-
bacterium tuberculosis.
The “A” tubes containing solid media (e.g., Trypticase™ Soy
Agar), except slants, contain a quantity sufficient to pour
one plate; this is approximately 20 mL. “A” tube slants for
cultivation on the agar surface contain approximately 9 mL of
medium slanted at an angle to yield a slope of approximately
10 cm in length. “A” tubes containing liquid culture medium
Difco Manual Sect II.ind 27
desired species or permit growth of a species they were designed
to inhibit, especially if the species are present in large numbers
in the specimen/sample. Cultures of specimens/samples grown
on selective media should, therefore, be compared with
specimens/samples cultured on nonselective media to obtain
additional information and help ensure recovery of potential
pathogens and other significant organisms.
XIII. References
1. U.S. Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of
Health. 2007. Biosafety in microbiological and biomedical laboratories, 5th ed. HHS Publication
No. (CDC) 93-8395. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
2. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. 2004. Approved standard: M22-A3, Quality control for
commercially prepared microbiological culture media, 3rd ed. CLSI, Wayne, Pa.
such as Fluid Thioglycollate Medium, unless otherwise noted,
are filled to contain approximately 20 mL.
The “C” tube is used primarily for cultivation of fungi and
mycobacteria.
The “D” tube is utilized for certain general-purpose and
special-purpose media. These are filled usually with approxi-
mately 10 mL of medium. When filled with differential agars,
such as TSI Agar, approximately 7 mL are used to produce
the characteristic long butt with short slant needed for these
special-purpose media.
The “K” tube provides the convenience of a wide mouth with
vertical shelf space-saving. Unless otherwise noted, slants
contain approximately 4 mL, slants with butts approximately
6 mL and broths approximately 5-8 mL.
Media are available in packages of 10 and cartons of 100 tubes
to meet the volume needs of various users.
Prepared Bottled Media
BBL and Difco prepared bottled media are available in a
variety of sizes and closures. Color-coded caps are used for easy
product identification and transparent labels allow clear view
of media and cultures. In addition, for sterility testing, we now
offer Sterile Pack bottles in two formulations: Tryptic Soy Broth
and Fluid Thioglycollate Medium. Sterile Pack Bottles, which
are validated sterile at a Sterility Assurance Level (SAL) of 10-6,
are terminally sterilized inside of autoclavable double-bags,
resulting in a bottle exterior that is free from environmental
contaminants and particulate matter. Bottled media products
conform to the United States Pharmacopeia, European Phar-
macopoeia and Japanese Pharmacopoeia requirements, as
applicable.
BBL and Difco prepared bottled media are supplied in pack-
ages of 10 in a variety of fill volumes.
Mycoflask Bottles
Mycoflask media are disposable, ready-to-use BBL culture
media prepared in the special Mycoflask bottle. A limited
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