What is Enriched and Enrichment Media in Microbiology

• In this post I will simplify the two most important microbiological terms. Even some Microbiology students are confused by these two terms. I hope your doubts will be resolved once you read this post.

•  What is culture medium (or media)?Culture medium (or media) is a solid(by incorporating agar in the Broth), liquid (Broth -without agar), or semi solid designed to support the growth of microorganisms.

• Enriched Media

• Enriched Media is Solid media.
• It contains the nutrients required to support the growth of a wide variety of organisms, including fastidious ones( that will grow only if special nutrients are present is this culture medium).

• Example:

•  Blood Agar-  5-10% of sheep Blood, soyabean protein digest, sodium chloride, Agar.(Addition of blood makes the medium more nutritious by providing additional growth factors required by fastidious organism.
• Chocolate Agar- Peptone, Dextrose, Sodium Chloride, sheep blood, disodium Phosphate,Agar.
•  NOTE: The Agar is named for its colour and contain no chocolate products.

• Enrichment Media

• Enrichment Media is Liquid media.
• Enrichment media enhance the growth of particular microorganisms. It also contains certain inhibitory substance to prevent the growth of normal competitors.

•  Example:

• Tetrathionate Broth, contain bile salts which are inhibitory to gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms other than salmonella species.
• Selenite - F Broth, was inhibitory for coliform and certain other microbial species, such as fecal streptococci, but it was beneficial in the recovery of salmonella species.
  

             I hope you understand this, Best wishes

Thank you😊