Culture medium for the detection of E. coli and process for its use

Abstract

A culture medium for the detection of E. coli and a process for the detection of E. coli utilizing the culture medium are disclosed. The culture medium includes a known culture medium for E. coli, a chromogenic compound derived from indolyl-glucuronic acid derivatives or salts thereof and a non-chromogenic alkyl, alkenyl, or aryl glucuronic acid derivative or salt thereof. The indolyl-glucuronic acid derivative or salts thereof serve as substrates for the beta-D-glucuronidase (GUS) enzyme that by cleavage of the substrate, gives a colored or flourescent derivative. The indolyl-glucuronic acid derivative in the culture medium is between 1:1 and 1:19, and is preferably 1:1 to 1:3. The culture medium may further contain a phosphate at a concentration greater than one gram per liter, and preferably between four and ten grams per liter. The process relates to inoculating the culture medium with a sample or an inoculum obtained from the sample and monitoring the medium for the presence of E. coli.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.