Bacteriological Grade Agar

Why should someone who is using food grade agar to grow cultures switch to bacteriological grade agar?

Take care when using food grade agar for bacteriological purposes. Many food grade agars are produced with gracilaria or gelidiella seaweed's and the gel strength of food grade agar that's produced is between 300 and 500 gms/cm2. What does that mean?

The real problem is the gelling temperature of food grade agar, that is 40° - 44° Celsius. High quality bacteriological grade agar MUST be extracted from selected gelidium sesquipedalis seaweed's (not gracilaria or gelidiella seaweed's). This requirement gives bacteriological grade agar a gelling temperature of 34° - 35.5 Celsius.

Agar is a colloidal substance, it is insoluble in cold water, but soluble in boiling water. When cooled to 34° - 43°C, it forms a firm gel which does not melt again below 85°C.

Our bacteriological grade agar has gel strength of 920 gms/cm2

Important Factors for Bacteriological Grade Agar
gel strength that must be over 800 gr/cm2
transparencies must be lower than 10 NTU but top qualities agar are even lower than 5 NTU
divalent captions that must not be higher than 1.000 PP

Potato Dextrose Agar

Potato Dextrose Agar is a nutirent rich media that mycelia thrive upon. Much like Malt Extract Agar, PDA offers an excellent foundation for growth. Below is a simple recipe which may help in the production of your culture plates.

Sterilize for 30 minuntes at 15 P.S.I

Malt Extract Agar

Myco Supply offers a Malt Extract Agar for mushroom tissue cultures. A blend of high quality Malt Extract and cleanly processed Base Agar makes this an excellent mix for mycelium growth. Please remember that we do carry a Potatoe Dextrose Agar too! Below is a simple recipe which may help in the production of your culture plates.

Sterilize for 30 minuntes at 15 P.S.I

• Traceable*
• High/Low Temperature and Humidity Memory

Unit simultaneously displays ambient temperature, humidity, and time of day. Ideal for use in incubators, storerooms, drying chambers, hoods, cleanrooms, and environmental cabinets. Memory recalls highest and lowest temperature and humidity readings. Clock displays A.M./P.M. or 24-hour military time to the exact minute with 0.01% accuracy.

A certificate is provided to indicate instrument traceability to standards provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

• Transmits Data up to 30.5m (100ft.)
• Traceable

Receives a radio signal from the remote wireless sensors, eliminating need for cables. Remote sensor sends humidity and temperature signals from 19.8 to 30.5m (65 to 100') to the main digital display. Main unit can receive and display data from up to three different remote sensor modules. Data is transmitted every 30 seconds. Minimum and maximum memory display allows monitoring of conditions over short or long periods, including overnight or weekends. An alarm may be set in increments of 1% RH and 1°. Jumbo digits, 2.9cm (1 1/8") high, can be read from up to 7.6m (25'). Cases are high-impact, chemical-resistant ABS plastic.

A certificate is provided to indicate instrument traceability to standards provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.