POTASSIUM CYANIDE BROTH BASE W/O KCN

Potassium Cyanide Broth Base is used for the differentiation of members of Enterobacteriaceae on the basis of Potassium Cyanide tolerance. Potassium Cyanide Broth Base was originally formulated by Moeller and Kauffman and Moeller. This medium was later modified by Edwards and Ewing and Edwards and Fife. This medium consists of Proteose peptone which provides nitrogenous compounds, sulphur, trace elements essential for growth. Phosphates buffer the medium. Sodium chloride maintains osmotic equilibrium. Potassium cyanide inhibits many bacteria including Salmonella, Shigella and Escherichia, while members of the Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Proteus groups grow well. Potassium cyanide medium usually remains stable for upto 4 weeks at 4°C. Potassium Cyanide Broth Base is also employed as a key screening agent in identification workflows involving selective tolerance tests. Cyanide should be properly prepared and handled, since its instability will influence the test as long as it is not stored under the recommended conditions. Potassium Cyanide Broth Base should be used with controlled inoculum levels to avoid misinterpretation due to turbidity. This process is primarily employed as an initial differentiation step and must be always confirmed by further biochemical and serological analysis for proper identification of organisms in routine laboratory work.

It is used for differentiation of the members of Enterobacteriaceae on the basis of potassium cyanide tolerance.