Overview
The Mannitol Fermentation Tube is a differential culture medium designed for microbiological analysis. It combines mannitol as a fermentable carbohydrate with high salt concentration (7.5% NaCl) to select for staphylococci while inhibiting most other bacteria. The inclusion of phenol red pH indicator allows visual detection of mannitol fermentation through color change from red to yellow. Originally developed for clinical microbiology, its use has expanded to food safety testing and pharmaceutical quality control. The standardized format in ready-to-use tubes ensures consistent results across laboratories, reducing preparation errors and contamination risks associated with manual media preparation.
Physical and Chemical Properties
The medium typically appears as a clear, slightly amber solution with a pH of 7.4±0.2 when unfermented. Upon bacterial growth and mannitol fermentation, acid production lowers the pH below 6.8, causing the phenol red indicator to turn yellow. The 7.5% sodium chloride content creates a hypertonic environment that inhibits most Gram-negative and many Gram-positive bacteria. The formulation maintains stability for 6-12 months when properly refrigerated, though prolonged storage may cause slight evaporation or color changes. Unlike powder media, pre-prepared tubes eliminate variability in mixing and sterilization processes, ensuring consistent osmotic pressure and nutrient concentration in every batch.
Main Applications
In clinical diagnostics, these tubes are essential for differentiating pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus (which ferments mannitol) from other staphylococcal species. Food microbiology laboratories use them to detect S. aureus contamination in products like dairy, meat, and ready-to-eat foods, where this pathogen can cause food poisoning. The pharmaceutical industry employs mannitol fermentation testing in cleanroom monitoring and raw material quality control. Environmental testing applications include screening for staphylococcal contamination in water systems and manufacturing facilities. Some modified versions incorporate additional antibiotics for MRSA detection or other specialized applications.
Safety and Storage
While the uninoculated medium presents minimal hazards, standard biosafety level 2 precautions should be observed when handling cultured tubes. Used tubes must be autoclaved before disposal to prevent potential pathogen release. The product should never be frozen, as ice crystal formation may damage the tube's integrity or alter the medium's properties. Proper inventory rotation (FIFO system) is crucial to avoid using expired media, which may show decreased performance. Tubes exhibiting cloudiness, unusual color, or compromised seals should be discarded. Manufacturers typically package units in durable plastic racks or shrink-wrapped bundles to prevent breakage during transport and storage.
B2B Procurement Guide
When sourcing mannitol fermentation tubes, verify the manufacturer's ISO 13485 or equivalent quality certification for medical devices. For high-throughput labs, consider purchasing bulk packs of 100-500 tubes, which typically offer 15-30% cost savings compared to small quantities. Key specifications to confirm include tube dimensions (compatibility with incubator racks and automated readers), graduation marks (if quantitative analysis is needed), and closure type (screw caps vs. plugs). Leading suppliers often provide technical support including validation protocols and strain-specific performance data. For international shipments, confirm that the packaging meets IATA dangerous goods regulations (even though the product itself is non-hazardous). Some manufacturers offer customizable formulations with alternative indicators or additional selective agents for specialized applications.
Related Manufacturers
- 主营：马铃薯、增菌液、噬菌体、细菌甘露醇发酵实验、营养盐、串珠菌、琼脂粉、西红柿、活性炭、营养液、酵母氮、基础盐、血琼脂、酵母膏、磁螺菌、缓冲液、抑菌剂、培养基、氯化钠、玉米粉、三糖铁、洗脱液、中和剂、结冷胶、沉降菌、橄榄油
- 主营：tge肉汤、大肠杆菌、琼脂平皿、一次性试管、生理盐水管、琼脂平板、双歧杆菌、isp培养基、pcfa培养基、琼脂培养基、硫乙醇酸盐、高压灭菌袋、korthof培养基、蛋白胨培养基、检定用培养基、无机铁磷培养基、中和增菌培养基
- 主营：微生物培养基、培养基
- 主营：血平板、含金属、乳酸菌、琼脂管、三糖铁管、沙门氏、消毒剂、卵磷脂、采集袋、乳化剂、微生物、tsa平板、生物制品、双岐杆菌、肠炎沙门、欧克生物、水源水中、细菌计数、盐水溶液、瓷珠菌种、纤维二糖
- 主营：试剂盒、增菌液、平板9cm、采样管、m17琼脂、化妆品、blb琼脂、培养皿、肠球菌、mrs琼脂、gam琼脂、bhi琼脂、肉汤lb2、培养基、厌氧产、营养琼脂、菌落计数、采样袋、水样采集袋、菌片、分离培养、琼脂平板、食品检验、药典、鉴定条
- 主营：不锈钢板、装饰彩板、不锈钢彩板、不锈钢管、不锈钢圆管、彩涂板、不锈钢卷、中厚板零切加工
- 主营：医疗硅胶管、食品硅胶管、硅胶软管、缠绕管、硅胶管套、硅胶四排管、硅胶led灯带条、硅胶条
- 主营：透明质酸真空灌装机、玻尿酸真空灌装机、高速预灌封灌装加塞线、氯化钠预充导管灌装高速线、交联及透明质酸高速预灌加塞线、半自动灯检机、预灌封半自动开袋机、真空灌装加塞机
- 主营：dhabs/133、继电器、放大器、二极管、hax1200-s、ll42-gs08、ltsr25-np、adis16488、efr32mg21、控制器、ltsr15-np、lt10000-s、ss495a-sp、电位器、awm5101vn、awm43600v、blf189xra、vsmy2940g、隔离器、sam-m8q-0、混频器、读写器、awm5104vn、awm43300v、ctsr0.3-p
- 主营：782853162、7116-2642、变压器、ft5606ned、bas56,215、744764015、742792664、742792662、lxz2-4070、csfc303-g、742792063、742792064、749012011、742862160、1735801-1、742863160、744773122、1n961brr1、ghr-15v-k、2203-5045、744777222、1971778-5、malh068yg、744822120、1744057-5
- 主营：ips4140hq、开发板、2624-3101、ts3333acr、hhm1518a3、smb15f28a、hhm1903a4、tsb951idt、stn6n60m2、2071429-2、2071429-1、2071407-3、2071407-2、2071407-1、stgap3s6s、tsc213ict、tsc213iqt、tsb512idt、sm50t30ay、ts3121ict、hhm1791a1、stef12sgr、tsc201idt、em3585-rt、1618387-3
- 主营：分析仪器、水质监测、水质检测仪、冷凝管回流瓶、水质分析仪、电化学仪器、水质测定仪、磷酸盐测定仪、电导率分析仪、溶解氧分析仪、电化学检测仪、多种元素检测仪
- 主营：管式膜、进口管式膜、管式超滤膜、tuf管式膜、宝利事管式膜
- 主营：密封性测试仪、测厚仪、智能电子拉力试验机、导管流量测试仪、医用针管韧性测试仪、瓶盖扭矩仪、剥离强度试验机、穿刺力测试仪、初粘检测仪、注射针刚性测试仪、摩擦系数仪、落镖冲击试验仪、电子瓶壁厚测量仪、玻璃瓶抗冲击试验仪、注射器滑动性能测试仪、质构仪、持粘性测试仪、初粘测试仪、垂直轴偏差测试仪、偏光应力仪、阻水性测试仪、缝合线线径测量仪、安瓿瓶折断力测试仪、安瓿瓶圆跳动测试仪、锋利度测试仪
- 主营：双金属堆焊耐磨衬板、20mn23alv钢板、合金板、堆焊耐磨管、碳化铬耐磨管、耐磨管、高强板、耐候板、耐磨钢板、堆焊耐磨钢板、防弹钢板、汽车大梁钢板、堆焊耐磨衬板、碳化铬耐磨衬板、无裂纹耐磨钢板、无裂纹耐磨板、容器钢板、耐酸钢板、锅炉板、碳化铬耐磨板、无磁钢板
- 主营：储存罐、燃气气化器、气体回收装置、液氮管道、真空管、液氮真空管、低温液体管道、低温液体储罐、液氮、液氧、液氩、二氧化碳、液态二氧化碳、液体二氧化碳、食品级液氮、液氮储罐、液氧储罐、液氩储罐、二氧化碳储罐、液体二氧化碳储罐、液态二氧化碳储罐、液氮设备、液氮气体、高纯液氮气体、工业液氮气体
- 主营：超高压、耐高压、接头旋转、四氟管、橡胶管、软管夹布、夹布胶管、特种软管、保温软管、缠绕胶管、高压胶管、电热软管、胶管耐磨、金属软管、胶管耐油、接头胶管、胶管液压、输水胶管、扣压接头、接头耐磨、螺纹接头、接头螺丝、耐酸夹布、空气夹布、夹布蒸汽