Description
Nutrient Gelatin is used to determine gelatin liquefaction by proteolytic microorganisms. Gelatin was the first gelling agent used to solidify liquid culture media, thus bacterial counts could be determined and isolation of pure cultures obtained. However, when using gelatin incubation temperature of 20 degree C was required and it was observed that many organisms were capable of liquefying the gelatin. Agar eventually replaced gelatin as a solidifying agent. Nutrient gelatin is recommended for the taxonomic differentiation of the Enterobacteriaceae and nonfermenting gram-negative bacteria. The rate of liquefaction is used as a differential characteristic.
This medium is primarily useful when investigating the liquefaction characteristics of pure cultures of organisms having minimal to no fastidious nutritional needs