Salmonella detection · Step 2 – selective enrichment (motility)
MSRV Agar Base – semi-solid enrichment for motile Salmonella
Modified Semi-solid Rappaport-Vassiliadis (MSRV) Agar is a semi-solid selective medium for the detection of motile Salmonella, for example in animal faeces and primary production samples. The base is completed with novobiocin before use.
- Detection of motile Salmonella by migration zones
- Completed with MSRV Agar Supplement (novobiocin)
- Dehydrated powder, 500 g bottle · COLO code PRO7510
How MSRV Agar works
Drops of the pre-enrichment culture are inoculated onto the surface. Motile Salmonella migrate through the semi-solid agar and form a grey-white turbid zone, while malachite green, magnesium chloride and novobiocin inhibit the accompanying flora. Material from the edge of the migration zone is subcultured on selective agar.
Technical data
| Preparation | 31.6 g per litre of water; heat to boiling to dissolve; cool to 50 °C and add 1 vial of MSRV supplement per 100 mL |
| Final pH | 5.2 ± 0.2 |
| Incubation | 42 ± 0.5 °C, 18–24 h |
| Storage | Dry, dark place; close the cap tightly after use |
| Shelf life | 3 years unopened |
Applications and practical notes
MSRV Agar is used for the detection of motile Salmonella in samples from the primary production stage according to ISO 6579-1. Typical applications include:
- animal faeces and boot swabs from poultry houses
- dust and environmental samples from farms
- feed and raw materials
- samples from the primary production stage
Working with MSRV Agar Base: Plates should be incubated upright and not inverted, so that the migration zone can develop on the surface. Plates without a migration zone after the first incubation are incubated for a further day before they are reported negative.
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.
MSRV Agar Base is supplied by COLO.Science in the pack sizes listed under Ordering information. For larger quantities, regular deliveries or method-specific sets that include MSRV Agar Base, please send us a request. With every delivery of MSRV Agar Base you receive the lot number and expiry date, and on request we send the available documentation for MSRV Agar Base. If you are changing to MSRV Agar Base from another supplier, we are happy to advise on the transition.
Where MSRV Agar fits in the Salmonella workflow
- Pre-enrichment – Buffered Peptone Water or Lactose Broth
- Selective enrichment – RVS Broth and MKTTn Broth, or MSRV Agar for motile Salmonella
- Selective isolation – XLD Agar plus a second selective or chromogenic agar
- Confirmation – TSI, Lysine Iron Agar, Urea Agar, latex and biochemical identification
See the complete Salmonella set in the Microbiology Catalogue →
Ordering information
| Product | COLO code | Pack |
|---|---|---|
| MSRV Agar Base, dehydrated | PRO7510 | 500 g |
| MSRV Agar Supplement | PRO7711 | 10 vials |
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
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Quotations and technical support for culture media and microbiology products across our international sales territory. B2B prices are net, excluding VAT.
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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.
