Merck, 796, Buffered Charcoal Yeast Extract (BCYE) Agar

General description
BCYE Agar, also known as Buffered Charcoal Yeast Extract Agar, is a Ready-to-Use media designed as per ISO Standards 11731 to detect Legionella spp.
The media contains charcoal, which serves as a detoxifying agent. Yeast extract provides a rich source of vitamins, nitrogen, and carbon. ACES Buffer helps maintain an optimal pH for growth, while L-cystine hydrochloride, ferric pyrophosphate, and α-ketoglutarate stimulate the growth of Legionella species.
Legionella a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria, commonly found in various freshwater biotopes, often associated with protozoans such as amoebae, where they can grow intracellularly. Legionella causes pneumonia (Legionnaires disease) and febrile disease (Pontiac fever)
Application
Buffered Charcoal Yeast Extract Agar is used to enumerate, detect and isolate Legionella spp in water samples from food and beverage industry.