Plate count Agar (PCA)

• ·         FDA BAM (Bacteriological Analytical Manual)media M124.
• ·         PCA agar also called (SMA) Standard method Agar or Standard method Plate count Agar or  TGYA ( Tryptone Glucose Yeast extract Agar)
• ·         PCA is not selective medium.
• ·         Used for plate count test  of microorganism in food water and waste water.
• ·         Used for total number of live and aerobic bacteria.
• ·         High nutrient media.

Composition                                                Gram/Liter

Casein of enzyamatic hydrolysate (Tryptone)------5.0

Yeast extract----------------------------------2.5

Dextrose(Glucose)-----------------------------------------1.0

Agar--------------------------------------------12.0

pH = 7.0  ±0.2 at 25⁰C

 

·         TGYA or PCA and mHPCA (formerly m-SPCA) enumeration of heterotrophic or Copiotrophic bacteria.

·         Low  nutrient medium such as R2A agar and NWRI (HPCA) may be beneficial for isolating Slow-growing “oligotrophic “ bacteria.

·         Recommended incubation 30-35⁰C at 48-72hrs.

·         Low nutrient medium (R2A agar and NWRI ) 20-25⁰C at 5-7 days.