Buffered Peptone Water (BPW)

Description

Buffered Peptone Water (BPW) is used for the non-selective pre-enrichment of Salmonella spp. from food. Salmonella spp. that may be present in a food product can be sub-lethally injured by food processing techniques. These injured Salmonella spp. may not be recovered by direct selection techniques. Buffered Peptone Water is a non-selective pre-enrichment broth that promotes the recovery of those bacteria that may be injured.

Peptone in the media supplies nitrogenous compounds needed for the growth of bacteria. The phosphate salts provide buffering capacity to maintain the pH. Maintenance of the pH is important when attempting to recover injured bacteria, because a low pH can be detrimental to the repair of the damaged cells.