Middlebrook agar plates are a defined solid culture medium containing phosphate buffer, inorganic salts, vitamins, amino acids, glycerol, and agar, formulated to support the growth of slow-growing mycobacteria. Compared to egg-based media such as Lowenstein-Jensen, Middlebrook agar provides a transparent surface that allows earlier detection of colony formation and clearer observation of morphology.

Middlebrook agar plates are commonly used for culturing M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. avium, and other clinically and environmentally relevant mycobacteria. The medium is often supplemented with OADC enrichment, which includes albumin, dextrose, catalase, oleic acid, and sodium chloride, to enhance growth and suppress contaminating organisms.

Because of its defined composition and reproducible performance, Middlebrook agar is a foundational medium in mycobacterial research, drug discovery, vaccine development, and diagnostic assay development.

Our Middlebrook agar plates are supplied as ready-to-use, pre-poured plates, eliminating the variation and time associated with in-house media preparation. Our formulations support consistent mycobacterial growth for a broad range of applications.

We manufacture our comprehensive catalog of Middlebrook agar plates, including Middlebrook 7H10 agar plates, using validated processes and rigorous quality control testing to ensure sterility, performance, and lot-to-lot consistency. We also offer custom manufacturing options, including OADC supplementation, selective antibiotic combinations, and alternative plate formats to support specialized mycobacterial research and testing requirements.