TSA can be purchased as a powder that has to be transformed into a solution before its use. Typically, TSA solutions are used to perform pour plate or streak plate techniques. These are the instructions to prepare 100 ml of TSA using Thermo Scientific™ Remel™ Tryptic Soy Agar:
INSTRUCTIONS
- Measure 100 ml of deionized water using a graduated cylinder
- Place the stir bar in a flask
- Weight 4 gr of TSA powder using an analytical balance and add it to the flask
- Add the water
- Place the flask onto the stir plate and stir for at least 2 minutes or until the visible clumps break down
- Transfer the obtained solution into a media bottle, close the lid loosely, label, and put autoclave tape
- Autoclave for 15 minutes at 121 ºC
MATERIALS
- 4 gr of TSA powder
- 100 ml of deionized water
- Magnetic stir plate and stir bar
- 250 ml flask
- 200 ml media bottle
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
- It is not necessary to use sterile deionized water to prepare the TSA, since the solution will get sterilized during the autoclave process.
- After preparation, the TSA solution has to be carefully maintained at a temperature in the 45 – 55°C range preferably using a water bath. Lower temperatures will solidify the solution, and higher temperatures will destroy the microorganism.
- If high volumes of TSA need to be prepared, it is more convenient to prepare several individual medium size media bottles than one single big container.