New Rapid Culture Method for Enumeration of Bacillus cereus in Food Products

Bacillus cereus is responsible for 5% of foodborne illnesses worldwide, causing severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. With routine testing of food products vital to ensuring consumer safety and product quality, detecting potential Bacillus cereus as quickly and easily as possible is of paramount importance.

Microbiology specialist AES-CHEMUNEX has launched a new, unique product in its range of pre-poured chromogenic media that enable the enumeration without any confirmation of Bacillus cereus.

BACARA® method has been developed to ensure excellent recovery of B. cereus, providing positive colonies in just 24 hours without confirmatory testing. - Some 24 hours earlier than by traditional culture methods - Chromogenic agents within the medium are used to detect the enzymatic activities of Bacillus cereus allowing them to be clearly differentiated on the culture plate. This new technology improves the recovery and differentiation of B. cereus by selectively reducing background flora, allowing clearer visualisation of target colonies in mixed cultures

After a 24 hours incubation step, B. cereus will appear as orange colonies surrounded by a zone of precipitation. BACARA® agar overcomes any issues with atypical colony forms and requires no further confirmatory tests.In a recent evaluation, BACARA® demonstrated enhanced sensitivity and specificity when compared to traditional Bacillus culture medium (MYP)

Chromogenic technology for the detection of B. cereus enables faster detection and improved sensitivity compared with classical culture media, reducing the need for subculture or confirmatory testing.  

                             AEB120102 (10 plates 140 mm)

For further information about the BACARA® agar, please email us