Effect of eight growth media upon fermentation profiles of ten anaerobic bacteria.

A study was made of the influence of eight growth media upon the fermentation end-product patterns obtained with ten species of anaerobes. Acidic and neutral end-products of fermentation were analysed by gas chromatography and the results were examined statistically by computer. Differences in end-product profile were at least as great between different media used to grow a single anaerobic species, as between different anaerobes grown in a single type of medium. When individual fermentation end-products produced by a single anaerobe species were examined statistically significant differences were found between different media for individual end-products. It is concluded that standardisation of growth medium is essential in diagnostic laboratories concerned with identification of anaerobes with the aid of gas chromatography.