Plate Count Agar
Also known as：PCA · Standard Methods Agar · Standard Plate Count Agar · Tryptone Glucose Yeast Agar · TGY Agar · Casein-Peptone Dextrose Yeast Agar
For the enumeration of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms in food, dairy products, water, and other materials.
- Category
- Dehydrated Culture Media
- Dissolve per litre
- 23.5 g
- Pack sizes
- 500 g · 5 kg · 25 kg
- Certifications
- ISO 22000 · Non-GMO
- Standard methods
- ISO 4833-1·APHA Standard Methods
Data updated：2026-11-06
Brand cross-reference：BD Difco Plate Count Agar (Standard Methods Agar) · Oxoid Plate Count Agar · Merck Plate Count Agar（ISO 4833-1、APHA Standard Methods） Brand cross-reference
Overview
Plate Count Agar (PCA) is the general-purpose medium most commonly used for total viable counts in food, dairy, drinking water and environmental samples. It contains no inhibitors: peptone supplies nitrogen, yeast extract supplies vitamins and growth factors, and a small amount of glucose serves as the carbon source, so aerobic and facultative bacteria of all kinds grow into countable colonies. Used by pour plate or spread plate, it is a staple of food-plant QC and hygiene monitoring.
Principle
Plate Count Agar is a general-purpose, non-selective medium specified in standard methods for determining the total viable count of aerobic mesophilic organisms.¹ʼ³ Pancreatic digest of casein supplies nitrogen, amino acids, and peptides, while yeast extract provides B-complex vitamins, nucleotides, and additional growth factors. Dextrose serves as the carbon and energy source and is included at a low concentration so that growth is supported without promoting excessive acid production. Agar acts as the solidifying agent. Because the medium contains no selective or inhibitory agents, it supports the growth of a broad range of organisms and is suitable for pour plate, spread plate, and membrane filtration techniques. Colonies are counted after incubation, and the result is expressed as colony-forming units per gram or millilitre of sample.²
Choosing a general-purpose or enumeration medium
Plate Count Agar is used for total viable counts in food, water, and environmental samples. Nutrient Broth and Tryptic Soy media are the general-purpose choices for non-fastidious bacteria, with the latter richer and also used for sterility testing and environmental monitoring. Brain Heart Infusion is the richest of the three and suits fastidious organisms such as streptococci. Use the agar form for enumeration and the broth for propagation.
Directions
Suspend 23.5 g of powder in 1 L of purified water. Heat with continuous stirring and bring to the boil for 1 minute. Sterilize by autoclaving at 121°C for 15 minutes. Avoid overheating. Cool to 45-50°C and use for the pour plate or spread plate technique. Test the finished medium for performance using stable, standard control cultures.
Cultural response
| Test organism | ATCC | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Lactobacillus johnsonii | 11506 | Good |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 25923 | Good |
Product highlights
- Food-grade raw materials, produced in an ISO 22000 certified facility
- Manufactured to the standard formulation, 23.5 g per litre
- Performance verified against standard control strains before release (Lactobacillus johnsonii, Staphylococcus aureus)
- Non-GMO
- Available in 500 g / 5 kg / 25 kg, from laboratory to industrial scale
- COA, specification sheet, and technical data sheet available; samples on request
- Manufactured in Taiwan with reliable supply
Food grade versus laboratory grade
Most culture media suppliers use laboratory-grade raw materials, which are held to lower standards for heavy metal residues, microbial contamination control, and traceability. That is adequate for pure research but not for applications with stricter raw-material requirements. STBIO manufactures with food-grade raw materials throughout, in a facility certified to ISO 22000 food safety management.
- Food microbiology laboratories working to ISO 17025 or equivalent requirements
- Biotech manufacturers exporting fermentation products and needing full raw-material traceability
- Organisations with ESG or compliance audit requirements across their supply chain
- Companies sourcing both Halal and non-Halal products who need one consistent material grade
FDA BAM methods
This product corresponds to a medium used in the chapters of the US FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM), the reference methods for FDA regulatory testing. Follow the current online edition of each chapter.
- FDA BAM Chapter 3: Aerobic Plate CountBAM Chapter 3Count plateNamed in the method as：Plate Count Agar (PCA, Standard Methods Agar)
- FDA BAM Chapter 4: Enumeration of Escherichia coli and the Coliform BacteriaBAM Chapter 4Confirmation / biochemicalNamed in the method as：Plate count agar (PCA) slants for purification
BAM specifies methods and media formulations; it does not certify brands. Add supplements as the chapter requires, and verify media against reference strains under your quality system.
Frequently asked questions
01Does this medium meet FDA BAM methods?
BAM specifies methods and formulations, not brands. This product corresponds to a medium used in: FDA BAM Chapter 3: Aerobic Plate Count（BAM Chapter 3）: Count plate; FDA BAM Chapter 4: Enumeration of Escherichia coli and the Coliform Bacteria（BAM Chapter 4）: Confirmation / biochemical. It is manufactured to the standard formulation and ships with a COA per batch; add supplements as the chapter requires and follow the current online edition.
02Which medium should I use for total viable counts?
Total viable counts in food and water normally use Plate Count Agar with the pour-plate method at 30 °C. Follow the incubation conditions specified by the method you are working to.
03How much powder per litre?
Use 23.5 g per litre of deionised water; preparation and sterilisation conditions are given on the specification sheet.
04Which organisms is it suitable for?
Total Plate Count, Aerobes, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Staphylococcus aureus. See the cultural response table and the specification sheet.
05What are the equivalent brand products and standard methods?
Cross-reference: BD Difco Plate Count Agar (Standard Methods Agar), Oxoid Plate Count Agar, Merck Plate Count Agar. Standard methods: ISO 4833-1, APHA Standard Methods. Formulations may differ slightly between makers; refer to the specification sheet.
06Is the raw material non-GMO?
Yes. The raw material is non-GMO; the supplier declaration can be provided with the COA.
07Can it be used for food-grade applications?
Yes. It is made from food-grade raw materials in an ISO 22000 certified facility and is suitable for culturing starters for fermented products that are consumed directly.
08How is this product prepared?
Suspend 23.5 g of powder in 1 L of purified water. Heat with continuous stirring and bring to the boil for 1 minute. Sterilize by autoclaving at 121°C for 15 minutes. Avoid overheating. Cool to 45-50°C and use for the pour plate or spread plate technique. Test the finished medium for performance using stable, standard control cultures.
09Is there a Halal certified version of this product?
Yes. This is the standard version; a Halal certified version is also produced from food-grade raw materials with Halal documentation, for compliant sourcing in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Middle East.
10How do I request a bulk quotation, and can you provide a COA?
Yes. This product is available in 500 g, 5 kg, 25 kg. Tell us your application and volume when requesting a quotation; we reply within one working day and can supply the COA, specification sheet, and technical data sheet.
Used in these applications
Used in published research and patents
- The Antimicrobial Effects of Bacterial Cellulose Produced by Komagataeibacter intermedius in Promoting Wound Healing in Diabetic MiceInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences 2022 · National Pingtung University of Science and TechnologyPlate Count Agar used to count bacteria in wound samples.
- Publications
Further reading
- FDA BAM Culture Media Cross-Reference: Which Media Each BAM Chapter Uses and the STBIO EquivalentAerobic plate count, coliforms and E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio, Clostridium perfringens, yeasts and moulds and Cronobacter: the media named in each FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual chapter, matched to Taiwan-made dehydrated media for US laboratories qualifying a second source.
- Which Culture Media Do Taiwan FDA Food Microbiology Methods Specify? Cross-Reference for 21 Announced MethodsAerobic plate count, coliforms, E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and moulds, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Clostridium perfringens and Cronobacter: the media named in each Taiwan FDA (TFDA) announced method, matched to Taiwan-made products.
- Biological Treatment of Semiconductor Wastewater: Ammonia, TMAH and the Role of Culture MediaWhy fabs and panel plants grow bacteria: ammonia is removed by nitrification and denitrification, TMAH by dedicated degraders and organics by activated sludge. How to choose media and nitrogen sources for culturing bioaugmentation strains and acclimating or re-seeding biological tanks.
References
- 1. American Public Health Association, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, current edition, APHA Press, Washington, D.C.
- 2. ISO 4833-1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms, International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
- 3. Atlas R. M., 2010. Handbook of Microbiological Media, 4th Ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton.