Clostridium · Enumeration
SPS Agar Base – sulphite polymyxin sulphadiazine agar for Clostridium perfringens
SPS Agar Base is the base for sulphite polymyxin sulphadiazine (SPS) agar, used for the isolation and enumeration of Clostridium perfringens in food. It is completed with the SPS Agar Supplement.
- Base for SPS agar
- Black colonies of sulphite reducers
- Completed with SPS Agar Supplement
How SPS Agar Base works
Sulphite-reducing clostridia reduce sulphite to sulphide, which reacts with iron and forms black colonies. Polymyxin and sulphadiazine from the supplement suppress most accompanying bacteria; plates are incubated anaerobically.
Technical data
| Final pH | 7.0 ± 0.2 |
| Use | With SPS Agar Supplement; anaerobic incubation |
| Storage | Cool, dry place away from bright light; keep the container tightly closed |
| Shelf life | 3 years |
Applications and practical notes
Clostridium perfringens and other sulphite-reducing clostridia are tested in food and water as indicators of faecal contamination and as food-poisoning organisms. Typical applications include:
- Meat, poultry and ready meals
- Spices and dried foods
- Drinking and surface water
- Food-poisoning investigations
Working with SPS Agar Base: Add the SPS Agar Supplement to the sterile base cooled to about 50 °C and incubate the plates anaerobically.
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 Clostridium methods: Clostridium perfringens in food and feed is counted according to ISO 7937 on Tryptose Sulfite Cycloserine (TSC) Agar under anaerobic conditions, where sulfite reduction gives black colonies, and ISO 14189 describes the membrane filtration method for water. Sulfite-reducing clostridia are counted on iron sulfite agar according to ISO 15213-1. COLO.Science offers media, supplements, rapid tests and QC strains for these methods.
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.
SPS 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 SPS Agar Base, please send us a request. With every delivery of SPS Agar Base you receive the lot number and expiry date, and on request we send the available documentation for SPS Agar Base.
Where SPS Agar Base fits in Clostridium testing
- Plate count – TSC Agar with D-cycloserine, anaerobic, 37 °C, 20 h
- Sulfite-reducing clostridia – Iron Sulphite Agar and supplements, anaerobic
- Confirmation – nitrate, lactose, gelatin and motility tests; PCR or LAMP
- Quality control – Clostridium sporogenes reference strains
See all Clostridium products in the Microbiology Catalogue →
Ordering information
| Product | COLO code | Pack |
|---|---|---|
| SPS Agar Base | PRO8176 | 250 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
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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.
