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Phenylethyl Alcohol HiVeg™ Agar
Intended Use
Recommended for selective isolation of gram positive organisms like Staphylococci and Streptococci from various samples.
Composition
| Ingredients | g/L |
|---|---|
| HiVeg™ hydrolysate | 15.000 |
| Soya peptone | 5.000 |
| Sodium chloride | 5.000 |
| Phenyl ethanol | 2.500 |
| Agar | 15.000 |
| Final pH (at 25°C) | 7.3±0.2 |
Formula adjusted, standardized to suit performance parameters
Directions
Suspend 42.5 grams in 1000 ml purified/distilled water. Heat to boiling to dissolve the medium completely. Sterilize by autoclaving at 15 lbs pressure (121°C) for 15 minutes. For the preparation of blood agar add 5% v/v sterile defibrinated blood to the sterile molten medium cooled to 45-50°C. Mix well before pouring into sterile Petri plates.
Principle And Interpretation
Phenylethyl alcohol is a chemical agent that exhibits inhibitory action against gram-negative and certain gram-positive bacteria. Phenylethyl Alcohol Agar is formulated as per Lilley and Brewer (1) for the selective isolation of gram-positive bacteria. This medium can be supplemented with 5% sheep blood. This medium is especially useful when specimens are contaminated with swarming Proteus species. It is also useful in the diagnostic studies of wounds and exudate cultures (2). However, Phenylethyl Alcohol Agar cant be used to study haemolytic reactions as the results are atypical. Phenylethyl Alcohol HiVeg™ Agar is prepared by using vegetable peptones in place of animal based peptones which make the media free of BSE/TSE risks.
HiVeg™ hydrolysate and soya peptone provide nitrogen, carbon, sulfur and trace elements to the growing organisms. Addition of sheep blood provides many growth factors. Sodium chloride maintains osmotic equilibrium. Addition of phenylethanol to a nutritive medium permits the growth of gram-positive organisms but inhibits the gram-negative organisms found in the same specimen (1). Phenylethyl alcohol exerts inhibitory bacteriostatic action on gram-negative bacteria by inhibiting their DNA synthesis (3).
Type of specimen
Food samples
Specimen Collection and Handling
For food samples, follow appropriate techniques for sample collection and processing as per guidelines (4). After use, contaminated materials must be sterilized by autoclaving before discarding.
Warning and Precautions
Read the label before opening the container. Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection. Follow good microbiological lab practices while handling specimens and culture. Standard precautions as per established guidelines should be followed while handling specimens. Safety guidelines may be referred in individual safety data sheets.
Limitations
- Due to nutritional variations, some strains may show poor growth.
- Phenylethyl Alcohol Agar cant be used to study haemolytic reactions as the results are atypical.
Performance and Evaluation
Performance of the medium is expected when used as per the direction on the label within the expiry period when stored at recommended temperature.
Quality Control
Appearance: Cream to yellow homogeneous free flowing powder
Gelling: Firm, comparable with 1.5% Agar gel
Colour and Clarity of prepared medium: Basal medium: Light amber coloured clear to slightly opalescent gel. After addition of 5%v/v sterile defibrinated blood : Cherry red coloured opaque gel forms in Petri plates
Reaction: Reaction of 4.25% w/v aqueous solution at 25°C. pH: 7.3±0.2
pH: 7.10-7.50
Cultural Response
Cultural characteristics observed with added 5% v/v sterile defibrinated blood, after an incubation at 35-37°C for 18-48 hours
| Organism | Inoculum (CFU) | Growth | Colour of colony |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 25923 (00034*) | 50-100 | good-luxuriant | white to gray or cream to yellow |
| Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 (00087*) | 50-100 | good-luxuriant | blue-gray |
| Salmonella Typhi ATCC 6539 | 50-100 | none-poor | |
| Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 (00013*) | 50-100 | none-poor | |
| Proteus mirabilis ATCC 25933 | 50-100 | none-poor |
Key: *Corresponding WDCM numbers.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store dehydrated and the prepared medium at 2 - 8°C. Use before expiry date on the label. On opening, product should be properly stored dry, after tightly capping the bottle in order to prevent lump formation due to the hygroscopic nature of the product. Improper storage of the product may lead to lump formation. Store in dry ventilated area protected from extremes of temperature and sources of ignition. Seal the container tightly after use. Product performance is best if used within stated expiry period.
Disposal
User must ensure safe disposal by autoclaving and/or incineration of used or unusable preparations of this product. Follow established laboratory procedures in disposing of infectious materials and material that comes into contact with sample must be decontaminated and disposed of in accordance with current laboratory techniques (5,6).
| Product Name | Phenylethyl Alcohol HiVeg™ Agar |
|---|---|
| SKU | MV269 |
| Product Type | HiVeg™ |
| Physical Form | Powder |
| Origin | Animal Free (Veg) |
| Packaging type | HDPE |
| References | 1. Lilley B. D. and Brewer J. H., 1953, J. Am. Pharm. Assoc., 42:6. 2.Holzman J. A., 1958, Am. J. Med. Technol., 24 (5), 327,342 3.Dowell, Hill and Altemeier, 1964, J. Bacteriol., 88:18 |
| Customized Product Available | No |




