Comparison of four enrichment media in the recovery of Campylobacter jejuni.

The effectiveness of 4 enrichment media for the recovery of low levels of inoculated cells of Campylobacter jejuni was evaluated. The media contained antibiotics or antibiotics and bile acids as selective compounds. Three of the media recovered most of the inoculated low numbers of 6 C. jejuni strains. In the 3 media the growth rate of 3 strains, indicated by the increase in the log number of cells during 24 h or 48 h incubation at 42 ° C, was about the same as in the control medium without selective compounds. The same 3 media also recovered a low number of Campylobacter cells from artificially contaminated raw milk or ground meat samples. The enrichment medium B containing 40 I.U. Colistin, 5 μg novobiocin, 2 mg Na-cholic acid and 50 mg cycloheximide per ml was inhibitory for most Campylobacter strains studied.