Able to tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions, Enterococci are often used as indicators of faecal pollution, and the newest addition to Lab M's family of MacConkey media is designed to support their culture and isolation.

MacConkey Agar No.2 is a modified MacConkey Agar which contains bile salts No. 2 for the recognition of Enterococci. It is especially useful when these organisms are present alongside coliforms and non-lactose fermenters in water, sewage and food products.

Appearing as small, intensely coloured, red-purple colonies on MacConkey Agar No.2, Enterococci are clearly distinguishable.

Non-lactose fermenters produce colourless colonies, while bile-tolerant Gram-positive organisms, such as Staphylococci and non-faecal Streptococci, are completely inhibited.

Enterococcus species are responsible themselves for a variety of clinical infections including urinary tract infections, bacteremia, bacterial endocarditis, diverticulitis, and meningitis.

The new MacConkey Agar No. 2 is one of the most recent additions to Lab M's comprehensive portfolio of dehydrated culture media. It makes the detection and identification of Enterococci straightforward, enabling effective monitoring in both water treatment and food industry environments.