How to store microbiology media properly and correctly, and how long is the expiration date for microbiology media in the form of agar plates or tubes, referring to which regulations?
Geis, I concur.
For agar plate storage, you want to bag the plates and store them (lid face up) at 4 °C. The storage conditions for media-containing tubes are the same as listed. Using this storage protocol, I managed to have usable agar plates and media tubes even after 6-12 months of storage. To decide whether to use old stored media, we have to eyeball the media to justify their usability.
Cheers,
King(Raja)
Hung King Tiong I tried to store the media in the refrigerator, and stored it for a period of one month. A growth promotion test was conducted on the 10th, 20th, and 30th day of storage. The results of the growth promotion test were still in accordance with the requirements. Can I make a work instruction for the media to be used with an expiration date of 1 month of storage?
Phil Geis in terms of physical it changes the surface of the media to be drier, but the results of the growth promotion test are still in accordance with the requirements. the pH test of the media has not been carried out for its stability in a storage period of 1 month. what if the media is in the form of agar plates, should the pH still be tested to ensure the stability of the media?
Growth promotion - as in USP 61? You should also use isolates representative of your application - I see you're in a plant lab. lab.plhttps://www.uspnf.com/sites/default/files/usp_pdf/EN/USPNF/generalChapter61.pdf
Right - pH of an agar plate would not be a routine metric.
Do add some subjective criteria - does the medium look like it does when prepared - color, absence of drying signs, etc.
Phil Geis thanks for the discussion, currently i work in a microbiology lab, in a pharmaceutical company. my background is in vitro culture lab, so i have to learn more about microbiology
Hello. We store canned media at 2-8 degrees for one month and discard them at any sign of dehydration or suspicious growth before this period. Liquid or frozen media in tubes can be stored for up to 6 months, as long as their integrity is maintained at 2-8°C.
Mona,
In response to your message "I tried to store the media in the refrigerator, and stored it for a period of one month. A growth promotion test was conducted on the 10th, 20th, and 30th day of storage. The results of the growth promotion test were still in accordance with the requirements. Can I make a work instruction for the media to be used with an expiration date of 1 month of storage?".
According to your test findings, the answer is YES.
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