TCBS Agar Plate is supplied by HiMedia. It contains 25ml of sterile ready prepared media in 90mm disposable plates. TCBS Agar Plate is used for the selective isolation of Vibrio cholerae and other enteropathogenic Vibrios. It is advisable to store this product below 30C. Composition (in gm/L) is as follows:

Proteose peptone (10.00)

Yeast extract (5.00)

Sodium thiosulphate (10.00)

Sodium citrate (10.00)

Bile (8.00)

Sucrose (20.00)

Sodium chloride (10.00)

Ferric citrate (1.00)

Bromo thymol blue (0.04)

Thymol blue (0.04)

Agar (15.00)

TCBS Agar was developed by Kobayashi et al, who modified the selective medium of Nakanishi. This medium was originally designed for the isolation of V.cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus, but it was seen that most Vibrios grow to healthy large colonies with many different colonial morphologies. TCBS Agar is recommended by APHA for the selective isolation of V. cholerae and V.parahaemolyticus. Enrichment in Alkaline Peptone Water, followed by isolation on TCBS Agar is the routine procedure used for isolation of V.cholerae. Proteose peptone and yeast extract present in the medium, supply nitrogenous compounds, vitamin B complex and other essential growth nutrients. Bile, which is a derivative of bile salts and sodium citrate inhibit gram-positive bacteria and coliforms. Sodium thiosulphate acts as a good source of sulphur, which in combination with ferric citrate detects the production of hydrogen sulphide. For the metabolism of Vibrios, sucrose is added as a fermentable carbohydrate. Vibrio that is able to utilize sucrose will from yellow colonies. Bromothymol blue and thymol blue are used as pH indicators. The alkaline pH of the medium improves the recovery of V.cholerae.