Pharmacopoeial media · Microbial enumeration
Tryptic Soy Agar – soya-bean casein digest agar for TAMC
Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA), the soya-bean casein digest agar of the pharmacopoeias, is a rich general-purpose agar for bacteria, yeasts and moulds. It is the medium for the total aerobic microbial count (TAMC) of non-sterile products and is widely used for growth promotion tests, environmental monitoring and subculture.
- Soya-bean casein digest agar for TAMC
- Supports bacteria, yeasts and moulds
- For growth promotion, monitoring and subculture
How Tryptic Soy Agar works
Casein and soya peptones supply amino acids and peptides, sodium chloride keeps the osmotic balance, and the medium contains no inhibitors. Colonies are counted after incubation at 30–35 °C, and the same agar is used to check the recovery of reference strains in growth promotion tests.
Typical colony appearance
| Organism | Colonies |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Good growth, creamy-yellow colonies |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Good growth |
| Bacillus subtilis | Good growth, dry colonies |
| Candida albicans | Growth within 48 h |
| Aspergillus brasiliensis | Growth within 5 days |
Technical data
| Preparation | 40 g/L; boil to dissolve, dispense, autoclave 121 °C 15 min |
| Final pH | 7.3 ± 0.2 |
| Incubation | 30–35 °C; bacteria 18–24 h, yeasts 48 h, moulds 3–5 days |
| Storage | Dry, dark place; keep the container tightly closed |
| Shelf life | 3 years unopened |
Applications and practical notes
Microbial enumeration of non-sterile pharmaceutical products follows Ph. Eur. 2.6.12 and the harmonised USP chapter <61>: the total aerobic microbial count is determined on soya-bean casein digest agar and the total yeast and mould count on Sabouraud dextrose agar. Every batch of medium passes a growth promotion test with reference strains. Typical applications include:
- Total aerobic microbial count (TAMC)
- Growth promotion testing of media
- Environmental and surface monitoring
- Subculture and purity checks
Working with Tryptic Soy Agar: Test each new batch of plates with the pharmacopoeial reference strains (inoculum not more than 100 CFU) before using them for product testing.
Good practice with dehydrated media: keep the bottle tightly closed in a cool, dry place, weigh the powder quickly to avoid moisture uptake, and use fresh distilled or deionised water. Check the pH of each new batch after preparation and before use, and label prepared media with the date. Performance of each lot can be verified with reference strains according to ISO 11133, the standard for the preparation, production, storage and performance testing of culture media.
About pharmacopoeial microbiological testing: the European Pharmacopoeia and the USP describe harmonised methods for non-sterile products – microbial enumeration (Ph. Eur. 2.6.12, USP <61>) and tests for specified micro-organisms (Ph. Eur. 2.6.13, USP <62>) – and the sterility test for sterile products (Ph. Eur. 2.6.1, USP <71>). The chapters define the media, incubation conditions and the growth promotion test that each batch of medium must pass with reference strains. COLO.Science offers the media, diluents, neutralisers and QC strains for these tests from one source.
Complete sets from one supplier: COLO.Science supplies culture media, supplements, rapid tests, identification kits and QC strains as complete sets for the method you follow. Send us your sample types and standards, and we will prepare an offer with the matching products and documentation.
Tryptic Soy Agar is supplied by COLO.Science in the pack sizes listed under Ordering information. For larger quantities, regular deliveries or method-specific sets that include Tryptic Soy Agar, please send us a request. With every delivery of Tryptic Soy Agar you receive the lot number and expiry date, and on request we send the available documentation for Tryptic Soy Agar.
Where Tryptic Soy Agar fits in pharmacopoeial testing
- Sample preparation – Buffered Sodium Chloride-Peptone Solution, Tryptic Soy Broth and neutralising diluents
- Microbial enumeration – Tryptic Soy Agar (TAMC) and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (TYMC)
- Specified micro-organisms – enrichment in Tryptic Soy Broth, then MacConkey, Mannitol Salt, Cetrimide, XLD, VRBG, RCM and Columbia media
- Sterility test – Fluid Thioglycollate Medium and Tryptic Soy Broth, 14 days
See all pharmacopoeial media in the Microbiology Catalogue →
Ordering information
| Product | COLO code | Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) | PRO7455 | 500 g |
Product notice: preparation, storage conditions and shelf life are given on the label. Technical data on this page are for orientation; the label and the lot documentation apply. B2B prices are quoted net, excluding VAT.
Sales and technical support
COLO LabExperts
Polje ob Sotli 4, SI-3255, Slovenia
Quotations and technical support for culture media and microbiology products across our international sales territory. B2B prices are net, excluding VAT.
COLO.SCIENCE | MICROBIOLOGY SUPPORT
Need the complete set for your method?
Send the sample type, target organism and the standard you follow. COLO.Science will put together the media, supplements, QC strains and confirmation tests for the whole procedure.
