Growth of Campylobacter in Media Supplemented with Organic Acids†

Abstract

The growth of Campylobacter spp. in media supplemented with organic acids was examined. A Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader was used to measure growth of cultures incubated at 37°C for 48 h in a tryptose–yeast extract basal broth medium and in basal broth supplemented with 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 mM citric, fumaric, lactic, malic, or succinic acid. Growth of three of six isolates was significantly greater (P ≤ 0.05) in media supplemented with 20 to 50 mM citric acid than in nonsupplemented media, growth of five of six isolates was significantly greater in media supplemented with 10 to 50 mM succinic acid than in nonsupplemented media, and growth of six of six isolates was significantly greater in media supplemented with 10 to 50 mM fumaric or malic acid or with 20 to 50 mM lactic acid than in nonsupplemented media. Isolates were also cultured in basal media supplemented with a mixture of 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 mM fumaric, malic, lactic, and succinic acids. Results indicated that the growth of all Campylobacter isolates was significantly greater in media supplemented with mixtures containing each of these organic acids at 10 to 40 mM than in nonsupplemented media. These findings indicate that in vitro growth of Campylobacter spp. may be significantly enhanced in media supplemented with organic acids that support the growth of these bacteria.