Enriched Media

Aamena Jahan-2006M053

Enriched Media

Bacteria have to be grown (cultured) for them to be identified, as only rarely can they
be recognized by their morphology alone. Some organisms, called fastidious
organisms, are bacterial organisms having complex nutritional requirements. To cater
to these needs we use enriched media.

Enriched media contain the nutrients required to support the growth of a wide variety
of organisms, including some of the more fastidious ones. In these media, substances
such as blood, serum, or egg are added to a basal medium. They are used to grow
bacteria which are more exacting in their nutritional needs. Examples are blood agar,
chocolate agar and egg media.

Blood agar is an enriched medium in which nutritionally rich whole blood
supplements the basic nutrients. Chocolate agar is enriched with heat-treated blood
(40-45°C), which turns brown and gives the medium the color for which it is named.

Blood agar Chocolate agar

Blood, serum or egg added to the basal medium.
To grow bacteria which are more exacting in nutritional requirements.