Selective media allow certain types of organisms to grow while inhibiting the growth of any other organisms. Chemicals or antimicrobials are suitably added to culture media to make them selective for certain microorganisms.
The selective agents are meticulously chosen, and added at specific concentrations, to suppress the growth of unwanted organisms from a sample. Appropriate selective agents and their concentrations are chosen that will promote growth of desired organisms while inhibiting the unwanted organisms. General chemical selective agents used in culture media include: bile salts, dyestuffs, selenite, tetrathionate, tellurite and azide. Antimicrobials are more specific in their selective action than the chemical agents listed here.
Developing a truly selective medium is a challenge for microbiologists, considering the wide variety of organisms and their almost infinite ability to adapt to changing conditions. Considering these factors, HiMedia offer a complete range of high quality selective media catering to the needs of various microbiological needs. These media are highly reliable, offering reproducible results. Many of these media are also available in HiVeg™ form, which are animal free.
