Nutrient Agar No.2 can be used as a general purpose culture medium. It is recommended by BIS committee under the specifications IS:5887(Part I,II and V)-1976. It is used for the examination of water and dairy products as per APHA . It is used in microbiological analysis of water by Czech Standards. It can also be used for cultivating several less fastidious microorganisms. Meat extract and peptic digest of animal tissue provide the necessary nitrogen compound, carbon, vitamins and also some trace ingredients to nonfastidious organism like Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus . Sodium chloride maintains osmotic equilibrium of the medium.
1.Greenberg A.E., Trussell R.R. and Clesceri L.S. (Eds.), 1985, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water andWastewater, 16th ed., APHA, Washington,D.C.2.American Public Health Association, 1978, Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products, 14th ed., APHA, Inc.,Washington,D.C.3.Bureau of Indian Standards IS:5887 (Part-I) 1976, reaffirmed 1986.4.Bureau of Indian Standards IS:5887 (Part-II) 1976, Second Reprint December 1994.5.Bureau of Indian Standards IS:5887 (Part-V) 1976, reaffirmed 1986.