Litmus milk

Litmus milk is a milk-based medium used to distinguish between different species of bacteria.[1][2] The lactose (milk sugar), litmus (pH indicator), and casein (milk protein) contained within the medium can all be metabolized by different types of bacteria.[3]

Early in the development of microbiology, milk was used as a convenient, rich growth medium for propagating bacteria. The litmus in the medium acts as both a pH indicator and a redox (oxidation-reduction) indicator. The test itself tells whether the bacterium can ferment lactose, reduce litmus, form clots, form gas, or start peptonization.[2]

References
  1. Schierl, Elizabeth A.; Blazevic, Donna J. (August 1981). "Rapid Identification of Enterococci by Reduction of Litmus Milk". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 14 (2): 227–228. PMC 271939. PMID 6895080.
  2. "Litmus Milk Medium Data Sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 July 2011.
  3. "Litmus Milk Results and Meanings". clark.edu.


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