What are types of culture media?

Culture media are media used to grow bacteria. The appropriate culture media depends on the organism of interest to be grown and may include chemically defined, complex, reducing, selective, differential and enrichment media.

When growing chemoautotrophs, photoautotrophs or conducting microbiological assays, chemically defined culture media is ideal. Complex media is best suited for chemoheterotrophic organisms. Reducing media is appropriate for obligate anaerobes. Selective media helps suppressed undesired microbes while encouraging the growth of desired ones. Differential media promotes the differentiation of certain microbe colonies over others. Enrichment media is designed to increase the numbers of microbes to a certain detectable level.