Hiveg media also known as RMW Agar is used for isolation, enumeration and identification of Lactobacilli from foodstuffs and clinical specimens. Low pH of the medium and addition of acetic acid makes the medium selective for Lactobacilli inhibiting other bacterial flora. It is recommended that the plates should be incubated at 30°C for 5 days or at 37°C for 3 days in an atmosphere of 95% hydrogen and 5% carbon dioxide. If this is not possible, overlay the inoculated plates with a second layer of the agar before incubation. All colonies should be checked by gram staining and by catalase test before further identification. The salt in the formulation makes the medium unsuitable for isolation of dairy Lactobacilli. e.g. L. lactis, L. bulgaricus and L. helveticus.
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