Corn Meal Agar

Availability BBL™ Cooked Meat Medium with Glucose, Hemin

and Vitamin K1
Difco™ Cooked Meat Medium
BS10 CMPH MCM7
AOAC BAM CCAM COMPF
Cat. No. 297809 Prepared Tubes, 10 mL (C Tubes) – Ctn. of 100
Cat. No. 226730 Dehydrated – 500 g
295982 Prepared Tubes, 9 mL (K Tubes) – Pkg. of 10
BBL™ Cooked Meat Medium 299455 Prepared Tubes, 9 mL (K Tubes) – Ctn. of 100
AOAC BAM CCAM COMPF
Cat. No. 221507 Prepared Tubes, 8 mL (K Tubes) – Pkg. of 10
221508 Prepared Tubes, 8 mL (K Tubes) – Ctn. of 100

Corn Meal Agar • Corn Meal Agar with C

Polysorbate 80 • Corn Meal Agar with 1% Dextrose
Intended Use
Corn Meal Agar is a general-purpose medium for the cultiva-
tion of fungi. With the addition of polysorbate 80, it is utilized
primarily for the testing of Candida species for their ability to
produce chlamydospores. BBL™ prepared plates of Corn Meal
Agar with Polysorbate 80 are deep-filled to reduce the effects
of drying during prolonged incubation. Corn Meal Agar with
1% Dextrose enhances pigment production.

Summary and Explanation

Corn Meal Agar has been used for many years to cultivate fungi.
Pollack and Benham reported on its usefulness for studying the
morphology of Candida.1 In 1960, Walker and Huppert
modified the basic formulation of Corn Meal Agar by adding
polysorbate 80, which stimulated rapid and abundant chlamy-
dospore formation.2 This modified formulation is recommended
Microscopic Photo of Chlamydospores
for the production and viualization of chlamydospores.3

User Quality Control Corn Meal Agar with Polysorbate 80

Candida albicans
Identity Specifications ATCC™ 10231
BBL™ Corn Meal Agar
Dehydrated Appearance: Coarse, homogeneous, free of extraneous
material.
Solution: 1.7% solution, soluble in purified water
upon boiling. Solution is pale to light,
yellow to tan, slightly hazy to hazy.
Prepared Appearance: Pale to light, yellow to tan, slightly hazy
to hazy.
Reaction of 1.7%
Solution at 25°C: pH 6.0 ± 0.2

Cultural Response
BBL™ Corn Meal Agar
Prepare the medium per label directions. Test for chlamydospore production.
Using fresh cultures, streak two parallel lines approximately 1.5 cm long each
and 1.0 cm apart. Make an S-shape by lightly streaking back and forth
across the two parallel streak lines. Place a coverslip over the streak marks.
Incubate at 25 ± 2°C for 4 days and examine microscopically.
CHLAMYDOSPORE
ORGANISM ATCC™ RECOVERY PRODUCTION
Aspergillus niger 16404 Good N/A
Candida albicans 10231 Good Present
Candida albicans 60193 Good Present
Candida kefyr 8553 Good None

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Section III
C Corn Meal Agar, cont.

The addition of dextrose enhances fungal growth and pigment Test for the production of chlamydospores on medium
production.4 Corn Meal Agar with Dextrose is commonly used containing polysorbate 80 using the Dalmau plate method.6
in the differentiation of Trichophyton species based on chromo- With a sterile inoculating needle, lightly touch the yeast colony,
genesis.5 and then make two separate streaks approximately 1.5 cm long
each and 1.0 cm apart. Do not dig into the agar. Flame the
Principles of the Procedure needle, allow to cool. Then lightly make an S-shaped streak
Corn Meal Agar is a relatively simple medium, consisting back and forth across the two original streak lines. Flame a
of an infusion of corn meal and agar. The infusion product coverslip and, after it cools, place it over the central area of
contains sufficient nutrients to support the growth of fungal the stab marks to provide slightly reduced oxygen tension.3
species. The polysorbate 80 is a mixture of oleic esters which, Incubate the plates at room temperature (25 ± 2°C) for 24-48
when added to the basal medium, stimulates the production hours. If the test is negative, reincubate plates an additional
of chlamydospores.3 Dextrose is added to Corn Meal Agar to 48-72 hours and examine again.7
provide an energy source to enhance fungal growth and chromo-
genesis. Expected Results
Observe cultures for growth and morphology. After 24-48
Formula hours on medium containing polysorbate 80, most strains of
BBL™ Corn Meal Agar C. albicans and C. stellatoidea will have formed typical chlamy-
Approximate Formula* Per Liter dospores.3 Invert the plate and examine microscopically (low
Corn Meal Infusion from (Solids) ................................ 2.0 g
Agar ......................................................................... 15.0 g and high power objectives) for chlamydospore formation along
*Adjusted and/or supplemented as required to meet performance criteria. the edge of the coverslip.

Directions for Preparation from On Corn Meal Agar with 1% Dextrose, macroscopically
observe chromogenesis.
Dehydrated Product
1. Suspend 17 g of the powder in 1 L of purified water. Limitation of the Procedure
Add 1% polysorbate 80, or 1% dextrose, if desired. Mix
Corn Meal Agar with Dextrose is not recommended for detect-
thoroughly.
ing the production of chlamydospores by Candida species.
2. Heat with frequent agitation and boil for 1 minute to
completely dissolve the powder. References
3. Autoclave at 121°C for 15 minutes. 1. Pollack and Benham. 1960. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 50:313.
2. Walker and Huppert. 1960. Tech. Bull. Reg. Med. Technol. 30:10.
4. Test samples of the finished product for performance using 3. McGinnis. 1980. Laboratory handbook of medical mycology. Academic Press, New York, N.Y.
4. Conant, Smith, Baker and Callaway. 1971. Manual of clinical mycology, 3rd ed. W.B. Saunders
stable, typical control cultures. Co., Philadelphia, Pa.
5. Haley and Callaway. 1978. Laboratory methods in medical mycology. HEW Publication No.
(CDC) 78-8361. Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga.
Procedure 6. Isenberg (ed.). 1992. Clinical microbiology procedures handbook, vol. 1. American Society for
Microbiology, Washington, D.C.
To prepare plated media from agar deeps, place the agar deeps 7. Campbell and Stewart. 1980. The medical mycology handbook. John Wiley & Sons, New York,
N.Y.
in a boiling water bath until the medium becomes liquefied
(clear). Pour the molten medium into a sterile Petri dish and
Availability
allow to solidify before use. Organisms to be cultivated for
BBL™ Corn Meal Agar
identification must first be isolated in pure culture on an Cat. No. 211132 Dehydrated – 500 g
appropriate medium. 297379 Prepared Pour Tubes, 20 mL – Pkg. of 10
Using an inoculating needle, streak the medium with growth BBL™ Corn Meal Agar with Polysorbate 80
from a pure culture and incubate at 25 ± 2°C. Examine at BS10
Cat. No. 221854 Prepared Plates (Deep Fill) – Pkg. of 10*
intervals for up to 28 days for growth and pigmentation.
297235 Prepared Pour Tubes, 20 mL – Pkg. of 10
Corn Meal Agar with 1% Dextrose should be incubated for up BBL™ Corn Meal Agar with 1% Dextrose
to 4 weeks to allow sufficient time for pigmentation to develop. Cat. No. 297229 Prepared Pour Tubes, 20 mL – Pkg. of 10
*Store at 2-8°C.

Cystine Assay Medium

(See Amino Acid Assay Media)

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