About this test
What is the purpose of the test?
The purpose is to see if the microbe can ferment the carbohydrate (sugar) glucose (also known as dextrose) as a carbon source.
How is glucose ( dextrose) fermentation determined?
If glucose (dextrose )is fermented to produce acid end products, the pH of the medium will drop. A pH indicator in the medium changes color to indicate acid production.
What medium is used?
Several media are available for this. Most commonly used is phenol red glucose (dextrose) broth. The medium is a nutrient broth to which 0.5-1.0% glucose ( dextrose ) is added. The pH indicator phenol red is red at neutral pH but turns yellow at pH <6.8. It also changes to magenta or hot pink at pH >8.4.
Additionally, this medium contains a Durham tube, a smaller inverted tube which can serve as a trap for gas bubbles generated during fermentation of sugars. So this same tube would be used to determine whether a microbe could produce gas from the fermentation of glucose/dextrose.
How is the test performed?
An inoculum from a pure culture is transferred aseptically to a sterile tube of phenol red glucose (dextrose) broth. The inoculated tube is incubated at 35-37 C for 24 hours and the results are determined. A positive test consists of a color change from red to yellow, indicating a pH change to acidic.
What reagents are added?
None.
Performing this test in the VUMIE Online lab
Inoculation of Medium
1. Select the phenol red glucose broth medium.
2. Complete the process of a tube-to-tube aseptic transfer to inoculate the medium. Forgotten how to do these things? Watch the “Show Me How To” videos.
Incubation of the Inoculated Medium
3. Place the inoculated tube into the 35-37 C incubator.
4. Press the New Day button to move forward 24 hours. Forgotten how to do these things? Watch the “Show Me How To” videos.
Determination of Test Results
5. Incubate this test for only 24 hours.
6. Retrieve the incubated culture from the incubator.
7. No reagents are required for completion of this test.
8. Positive tests will be yellow; negative results are any other color.
9. Record test result. Forgotten how to do these things? Watch the “Show Me How To” videos.