Value of the K+ salt of carageenan as an agar substitute in routine bacteriological media

Abstract

The K+ salt of carageenan [a gelatinous substance extracted from a marine alga, Chondrus crispus] has no distinct advantages as a gelling agent, but it compared favorably with agar in most of the media tested. The difficulty involved in the preparation of blood plates and the results obtained with this medium [with bacteria and fungi] prohibit its complete acceptance as a substitute for agar in routine solid media, but it could be a suitable substitute for agar in all other routine bacteriological media.