Guest guest Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 Hi Carrol agar is from seaweed and probably available at your local health food store or co-op -as it can be used to make vegan " gelatin " type desserts....also for micro work. D >rtillmansmail <rtillmansmail >Nov 25, 2007 10:09 PM > > Microbiology growth plates substitutes > >Hi, > >We had an unexpectantly bad Thanksgiving with the in-laws. In order to >put all that behind us, I am on to research. I remember reading about >growth medium for streak plates that is vegan. However, I can't find >the info now. In school, of course, all the medium we used was in some >way not vegan. If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. This is >for homeschool projects so it doens't have to be perfect. Of course, I >don't want to use a selective medium for those nasty bugs! > >Thanks, >Carrol > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 Yes, agar is available at my HFS in form of Kanteen Flakes. But my concern is that the agar we always used in school was nutrient rich agar and contained blood or other sources of amino acids. I know that Mueller Hinton agar can be " clear " but it can also contain blood. In my web search of scientific supply houses, I did not find any plates (or mixes) that are restrictive and without blood, etc. Do you have any experience making your own plates with agar-agar? Did you grow too many organisms or did it slime or did you have simple and clear results ( remember this is for a child)? How did you prepare it - water to flake ratio, etc.? I really appreciate your input!! Thanks, Carrol PS I do plan to start out " growing penicillin " on oranges, etc. I'm trying to plan ahead though. , danitamark wrote: > > Hi Carrol > > agar is from seaweed and probably available at your local health food store or co-op -as it can be used to make vegan " gelatin " type desserts....also for micro work. > > D > > > >rtillmansmail <rtillmansmail > >Nov 25, 2007 10:09 PM > > > > Microbiology growth plates substitutes > > > >Hi, > > > >We had an unexpectantly bad Thanksgiving with the in-laws. In order to > >put all that behind us, I am on to research. I remember reading about > >growth medium for streak plates that is vegan. However, I can't find > >the info now. In school, of course, all the medium we used was in some > >way not vegan. If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. This is > >for homeschool projects so it doens't have to be perfect. Of course, I > >don't want to use a selective medium for those nasty bugs! > > > >Thanks, > >Carrol > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 I'm sorry I don't have recent experience mixing it up for micro work. back in the day, it was already made up in the petri dishes by our instructor(s). at subsequent lab jobs I had, I wasn't vegan then so didn't think about ingredients in supplies. I would think that you could experiment with the ratios- maybe start out with 2x concentration of agar than is called for in gel dessets, and see if that is firm enough. then for a protein/carb source just add a smidgen of sugar and maybe mix a small amount of soy TVP in some water and strain that and add it in as part of the water portion. If everything has reached boiling temp, then poured into the plates and then covered immediately with the tops of the sterile petri dishes- they should stay sterile until cooled and ready to use. good luck! D >rtillmansmail <rtillmansmail >Nov 30, 2007 12:54 AM > > Re: Microbiology growth plates substitutes > >Yes, agar is available at my HFS in form of Kanteen Flakes. But my >concern is that the agar we always used in school was nutrient rich >agar and contained blood or other sources of amino acids. I know that >Mueller Hinton agar can be " clear " but it can also contain blood. In >my web search of scientific supply houses, I did not find any plates >(or mixes) that are restrictive and without blood, etc. Do you have >any experience making your own plates with agar-agar? Did you grow >too many organisms or did it slime or did you have simple and clear >results ( remember this is for a child)? How did you prepare it - >water to flake ratio, etc.? I really appreciate your input!! >Thanks, >Carrol > >PS I do plan to start out " growing penicillin " on oranges, etc. I'm >trying to plan ahead though. > > , danitamark wrote: >> >> Hi Carrol >> >> agar is from seaweed and probably available at your local health >food store or co-op -as it can be used to make vegan " gelatin " type >desserts....also for micro work. >> >> D >> >> >> >rtillmansmail <rtillmansmail >> >Nov 25, 2007 10:09 PM >> > >> > Microbiology growth plates substitutes >> > >> >Hi, >> > >> >We had an unexpectantly bad Thanksgiving with the in-laws. In >order to >> >put all that behind us, I am on to research. I remember reading >about >> >growth medium for streak plates that is vegan. However, I can't >find >> >the info now. In school, of course, all the medium we used was in >some >> >way not vegan. If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. This >is >> >for homeschool projects so it doens't have to be perfect. Of >course, I >> >don't want to use a selective medium for those nasty bugs! >> > >> >Thanks, >> >Carrol >> > >> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Thanks, I will try that. Carrol , danitamark wrote: > > I'm sorry I don't have recent experience mixing it up for micro work. back in the day, it was already made up in the petri dishes by our instructor(s). at subsequent lab jobs I had, I wasn't vegan then so didn't think about ingredients in supplies. > > I would think that you could experiment with the ratios- > maybe start out with 2x concentration of agar than is called for in gel dessets, and see if that is firm enough. > > then for a protein/carb source just add a smidgen of sugar and maybe mix a small amount of soy TVP in some water and strain that and add it in as part of the water portion. > > If everything has reached boiling temp, then poured into the plates and then covered immediately with the tops of the sterile petri dishes- they should stay sterile until cooled and ready to use. > > good luck! > > D > > > > >rtillmansmail <rtillmansmail > >Nov 30, 2007 12:54 AM > > > > Re: Microbiology growth plates substitutes > > > >Yes, agar is available at my HFS in form of Kanteen Flakes. But my > >concern is that the agar we always used in school was nutrient rich > >agar and contained blood or other sources of amino acids. I know that > >Mueller Hinton agar can be " clear " but it can also contain blood. In > >my web search of scientific supply houses, I did not find any plates > >(or mixes) that are restrictive and without blood, etc. Do you have > >any experience making your own plates with agar-agar? Did you grow > >too many organisms or did it slime or did you have simple and clear > >results ( remember this is for a child)? How did you prepare it - > >water to flake ratio, etc.? I really appreciate your input!! > >Thanks, > >Carrol > > > >PS I do plan to start out " growing penicillin " on oranges, etc. I'm > >trying to plan ahead though. > > > > , danitamark@ wrote: > >> > >> Hi Carrol > >> > >> agar is from seaweed and probably available at your local health > >food store or co-op -as it can be used to make vegan " gelatin " type > >desserts....also for micro work. > >> > >> D > >> > >> > >> >rtillmansmail <rtillmansmail@> > >> >Nov 25, 2007 10:09 PM > >> > > >> > Microbiology growth plates substitutes > >> > > >> >Hi, > >> > > >> >We had an unexpectantly bad Thanksgiving with the in-laws. In > >order to > >> >put all that behind us, I am on to research. I remember reading > >about > >> >growth medium for streak plates that is vegan. However, I can't > >find > >> >the info now. In school, of course, all the medium we used was in > >some > >> >way not vegan. If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. This > >is > >> >for homeschool projects so it doens't have to be perfect. Of > >course, I > >> >don't want to use a selective medium for those nasty bugs! > >> > > >> >Thanks, > >> >Carrol > >> > > >> > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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