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Which culture medium is suitable for growing MiStraCon® Swabs2 qualitative strains?
5 de February de 2026Why is it important to choose the right culture medium for MiStraCon® Swabs2 strains?
Choosing the right culture medium is essential for accurate and reproducible microbiological results. Each microorganism has specific nutritional and environmental requirements that directly influence growth rate, morphology and viability.
When using MiStraCon® Swabs2 qualitative reference strains, selecting the appropriate culture medium and incubation conditions ensures reliable recovery and consistent quality control results.
Why is the culture medium so important in microbiology?
A culture medium provides the nutrients required for the growth of bacteria, fungi and yeasts. Depending on the analytical objective, culture media may be:
- Non-selective, to promote general microbial growth
- Selective, to inhibit competing microorganisms
- Differential, to distinguish species based on biochemical reactions
Commonly used microbiological media include Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA), Blood Agar, Chocolate Agar and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar. Some microorganisms, such as Legionella, require specialised media like BCYEA.
Even minimal changes in temperature, atmosphere or incubation time can significantly affect culture results. For this reason, MiStraCon® Swabs2 protocols define precise growth conditions for each strain.
Recommended culture media for MiStraCon® Swabs2
MiStraCon® Swabs2 products are designed for microbiological quality control using lyophilised reference strains with certified traceability. Each microbial group has specific growth requirements:
- Aerobic Bacteria: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, Salmonella; Medium: TSA or Blood Agar; Incubation: 35 °C, 24-48 hours
- Fungi and Yeasts: Aspergillus, Candida, Saccharomyces; Medium: Sabouraud Dextrose Agar; Incubation: 25 °C, 2-7 days
- Strict Anaerobes: Clostridium perfringens; Medium: Reduced Blood Agar; Conditions: Anaerobic atmosphere, 48-72 hours
- Microaerophilic Microorganisms: Campylobacter; Medium: Chocolate Agar; Conditions: Microaerophilic atmosphere, 48-72 hours
Following these conditions ensures well-developed colonies and accurate viability assessment.
Incubation conditions and growth control
In addition to the culture medium, incubation parameters play a decisive role:
- Temperature
- Atmosphere
- Incubation time
Using high-quality culture media, such as Scharlau microbiological media, guarantees consistent composition and minimises batch-to-batch variability.
MiStraCon® Swabs2 technical data sheets clearly specify the recommended media and incubation parameters for each strain, enabling standardised microbiological testing across laboratories.
ATCC® Traceability: guarantee of purity and identity
MiStraCon® Swabs2 strains are supported by the ATCC Licensed Derivative® programme, ensuring:
- Genetic identity
- Strain purity
- Reproducible performance
This traceability is essential for method validation, regulatory compliance and microbiological quality control.
Best practices for successful microbial culturing
To optimise recovery and minimise contamination risks:
- Rehydrate lyophilised strains under aseptic conditions
- Use a non-selective agar medium for primary growth
- Subculture on the recommended medium for the species
- Record all incubation conditions accurately
- Verify colony morphology and purity when required
These practices, combined with MiStraCon® Swabs2 protocols, ensure consistent, traceable and comparable results.
Frequently asked questions about culture media and MiStraCon® Swabs2
The choice depends on the microorganism and the analytical objective. For example, E. coli grows on TSA or Blood Agar, while Candida requires Sabouraud Dextrose Agar.
They provide ATCC®-traceable reference strains, ensuring identity, purity and reproducibility in microbiological testing.
Typically, 35 °C for bacteria and 25 °C for fungi and yeasts, although specific ranges are detailed in each technical data sheet.
It guarantees that strains originate from accredited collections, ensuring authenticity, reliability and regulatory confidence.
Conclusion: Ensuring reliable microbial growth
Successful microbiological culturing depends on the right combination of:
- High-quality culture media
- Controlled incubation conditions
- Standardised methods
MiStraCon® Swabs2 qualitative strains from Scharlab, with certified ATCC® traceability, provide a robust and reproducible solution for microbiological quality control.
Choosing the correct culture medium is not just a technical decision—it is the foundation of reliable results.
Discover how MiStraCon® Swabs2 can optimise your microbiological testing processes.
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