EMB Agar is an Example of a ________ Medium

Question

EMB agar is an example of a ________ medium.
A) selective
B) differential
C) selective and differential
D) neither selective nor differential

Accepted Answer

EMB agar is both selective and differential. It contains dyes and other inhibitors that selectively inhibit the growth of gram-positive bacteria, while the differential aspect lies in its ability to distinguish between lactose-fermenting and non-lactose fermenting bacteria, based on the color that colonies produce when grown on the medium.