Anaerobic Egg Agar Base

Anaerobic Egg Agar Base is recommended for detection of Clostridium perfringens in food samples. This medium is supplemented with egg yolk emulsion and is recommended by APHA for detection of Clostridium perfringens in foods. Lecithinase of C. perfringens degrades lecithin of egg yolk, forming an insoluble opaque precipitate. Lipase breaks down free fats present in the egg yolk causing iridescent sheen to form on the colony surface. For the lipase reaction, plates may be kept upto a week for incubation. Proteolysis is indicated by clear zones in the medium surrounding the growth.