EMB agar is used as a differential selective media as it allows to distinguish between lactose fermenting and non-lactose fermenting organisms and inhibit the growth of gram-positive bacteria. The key component in the agar is lactose. The methylene blue dye in the EMB causes the lactose fermenting bacteria to produce a green metallic sheen which is caused by the accumulation of eosin and methylene blue. Bacteria that ferment lactose at a slower rate produce purple colonies. E. coli and E. aerogenes are gram-negative bacteria and are known to ferment lactose. As for those bacteria that do not ferment lactose in the EMB agar appear as …show more content…
It consists of peptone, yeast, maltose and lactose, and sodium azide. Peptone serves a source of amino acids and nitrogen. The yeast provides the essential vitamins, whereas, maltose and lactose the sources of carbon and allow carbohydrate fermentation. Apart from these components, sodium azide in the agar acts as a selective agent does not affect the growth of Streptococcus or Enterococcus species. Further, the agar is made with the addition of 1% TTC solution which acts as a redox indicator in the media. The solution is colorless and allows the growing organisms to show a red pigment, when reduced to formazan from the colorless oxidized form. Therefore, the growth of E. faecalis should be evident in this