Selenite Broth Base contains lactose as a source of fermentable carbohydrate which helps to prevent any rise in pH value during incubation, thereby preventing any loss of selective activity of selenite.

Use Selenite Broth Base for enrichment and isolation of Salmonella from feces, urine, water, foods, and materials of sanitary importance.

• Selective against non-target Gram-positive flora in the first few hours of incubation
• Routinely employed for detection of Salmonella from fecal specimens since Salmonella usually represent only a small percentage of the intestinal flora present

Klett¹ first demonstrated the selective inhibitory effects of selenite, and Guth² used it to isolate Salmonella typhi. It was 20 years later before Leifson³ fully investigated selenite and promoted wide use of the medium.

Proteus and Pseudomonas species appear to be resistant to its effects⁴. Lactose is added as a fermentable carbohydrate to prevent a rise in pH value during incubation because any increase in pH will reduce the selective activity of selenite. The fact that Proteus and Pseudomonas species do not ferment lactose may explain why they escape inhibition.

To minimise any possible risk of teratogenicity to laboratory workers, the sodium biselenite must be added as a solution to this medium. Robertson⁵ reported miscarriages and possible teratogenic effects on pregnant laboratory assistants which may have been caused by ingested sodium biselenite. This substance has, therefore, been removed from the Oxoid powdered medium.

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Remel™ and Oxoid™ products are now part of the Thermo Scientific brand.