Coliforms and E. coli · Faecal coliforms by membrane filtration
m-FC Agar – faecal coliforms in water at 44.5 °C
m-FC Agar with Rosolic Acid is used for faecal (thermotolerant) coliforms in water by membrane filtration at 44.5 °C. Faecal coliforms form blue colonies, while other bacteria give grey to cream colonies.
- Membrane filtration at 44.5 °C
- Blue colonies = faecal coliforms
- Rosolic acid lowers background
How m-FC Agar works
Bile salts inhibit Gram-positive bacteria and the elevated temperature selects thermotolerant coliforms. Aniline blue colours lactose-fermenting colonies blue. Rosolic acid suppresses non-faecal background flora.
Typical colony appearance
| Organism | Colonies |
| Faecal coliforms / E. coli | Blue to blue-black colonies |
| Other bacteria | Grey, cream or red colonies |
Technical data
| Preparation | 52.2 g/L; boil to dissolve, no autoclaving; cool to ~50°C and pour plates |
| Final pH | 7.4 ± 0.2 |
| Incubation | 44.5°C, 24 h |
| Storage | Dry, dark place; keep the container tightly closed |
| Shelf life | 3 years unopened |
Applications and practical notes
Membrane filtration and presence-absence media are used for coliforms and E. coli in drinking water, source water and bottled water. Typical applications include:
- Drinking water and source water monitoring
- Bottled water and ice testing
- Swimming pool and process water checks
- Laboratories working with membrane filtration
Working with m-FC Agar: Place the plates in waterproof bags and incubate them in a water bath at 44.5 °C to keep the temperature exact.
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 the Salmonella culture method: the reference method for Salmonella in the food chain, ISO 6579-1, has four steps: non-selective pre-enrichment, selective enrichment in two broths, plating on two selective agars and confirmation of typical colonies. The FDA BAM Chapter 5 follows the same principle with media adapted to different food types. Rapid tests and identification kits shorten the time to result, but positive screening results are usually confirmed by the culture method. COLO.Science offers products for every step, so that one supplier covers the whole procedure.
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.
m-FC 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 m-FC Agar, please send us a request. With every delivery of m-FC Agar you receive the lot number and expiry date, and on request we send the available documentation for m-FC Agar.
Where m-FC Agar fits in coliform and E. coli testing
- Presumptive test – Lauryl Sulfate Tryptose Broth (MPN) or VRBL / chromogenic agar (colony count)
- Confirmation – BGLB Broth for coliforms; EC or EC-MUG Broth at 44.5 °C for E. coli
- Isolation – EMB, MacConkey, TBX or chromogenic E. coli agar
- Identification – IMViC kit; for O157 and STEC: SMAC or chromogenic O157 agar, latex and PCR
Ordering information
| Product | COLO code | Pack |
|---|---|---|
| m-FC Agar with Rosolic Acid | PRO7491 | 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.
