TRYPTONE SOYA AGAR W/ MgSO4 (as per AOAC) (TSAM)

The faecal coliform group is restricted to organisms that grow in the gastrointestinal tract of human and warm-blooded animals. It includes members of at least three genera: Escherichia, Klebsiella and Enterobacter . Tryptone Soya Agar with Magnesium Sulphate (TSAM) is used for the enumeration of coliform bacteria by hydrophobic grid membrane filter (HGMF). The membrane filter is imprinted with hydrophobic material in grid pattern. The hydrophobic lines act as barriers to spread the colonies, thereby dividing membrane filter surface into separate compartments of equal and known size.

HGMF membrane filters has pore size of 0.45 mm. For E.coli/ coliform counts place HGMF on surface of pre-dried Tryptone Soya Agar with Magnesium Sulphate. Incubate at 25?C for 4-5 hours for dry foods and 4-5 hrs at 35?C for all other foods. The membrane is placed on the surface of other differential / selective medium after pre-incubation on TSAM, to enable detection of coliforms.

for cultivation of coliforms