Supplement to All Methods in the Compendium: General Microbiological Guidance

Appendix I

Supplement to All Methods
January 2003

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1. Application

The following information is offered as a supplement to all the methods in The Compendium of Analytical Methods, and may be used with any method, unless otherwise specified. The purpose of this supplement is to provide additional information (such as source(s) of materials, critical steps, confirmation steps, or helpful hints etc.).

NOTE: Any major or significant modification to a method must be approved by the author(s) listed on the method and/or by Health Canada's Microbiological Methods Committee (c/o Don_Warburton@hc-sc.gc.ca). When in doubt, check with these people.

6. Materials and special equipment

The use of Commercial Media

The glossary ("Appendix G" of Volumes 1-3) is provided as a handy reference for agars, broths and other reagents used in The Compendium of Analytical Methods. It is the responsibility of the analyst or laboratory supervisor to ensure the efficacy of media prepared from commercially available products or made from scratch using the formulas below or variations of these formulas.

It is the responsibility of the analyst or laboratory supervisor to ensure that proper precautions are taken when handling the chemical components of media, including the commercially prepared product, to avoid potential injury due to inhalation, contact with skin and eyes, as well as effects of long term exposure.

Antibiotics included in Commercial Media

The original formula of some media include the addition of filter-sterilized antibiotics to the base medium after it is sterilized via autoclaving. Advances in production of commercial media have resulted in shelf- and heat-stable antibiotics being included in the base medium, so that filter-sterilized antibiotics are not needed for this product. Such products are acceptable for use in compendial methods when shown to be equivalent to the original formula either by data provided by the manufacturer or by in-house validations.