VIEW ARTICLE    DOI: 10.1094/ASBCJ-36-0006

Influence of Agar on the Effectiveness of Culture Media. Yishan Lin, J. E. Siebel Sons' Company, Marschall Division, Miles Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, IL 60646. J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. 36:0006, 1978.

A variety of agars were used in the preparation of culture media and studied for their influence on the effectiveness of each medium. Included in the studies were different kinds of agar, the same kind of agar purchased at different times, and agar from different companies. These agars in universal beer agar formulations did not have any effect on the growth of bacteria or yeasts. However, they greatly affected the effectiveness of Lin's medium and crystal violet medium in the detection of wild yeasts. The optimum concentrations of crystal violet in Lin's medium and in crystal violet medium varied in accordance with the different kinds of agar used in the medium. These agar variations did not alter the effectiveness of lysine medium in the detection of wild yeasts, but they did influence the colony sizes of some wild yeasts on this medium. They also affected the sporulation of yeasts on sodium acetate agar and on Kleyn's agar.

Keywords: Crystal violet, Wild yeast, Yeast sporulation.