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Starch Agar (AS-1355) | Amylase Activity & Hydrolysis Test
$39.00 AUD
AuSaMicS Life Science • Culture Media
Starch Agar
Differential medium for detection of starch hydrolysis and amylase production
Starch Agar is a differential microbiological medium used for the detection of extracellular amylase activity in bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. The medium contains soluble starch as the primary substrate; following incubation, starch hydrolysis is visualized by flooding the plate with iodine solution, where a clear halo around growth indicates positive amylase activity.
AS-1355
Differential Medium
✓ Amylase Detection
🧫 Starch Hydrolysis Test
🧪 Primary Use: Amylolytic screening
🔬 Applications: Research, QC, teaching
📄 Available: COA + TDS + SDS
🧬 Enzyme Screening Medium
🌾 Soluble Starch - amylase substrate
🧪 Iodine Readout - simple differential test
⭕ Clear Zone - indicates starch hydrolysis
🔬 Broad Utility - bacteriology and mycology
🎓 Teaching Friendly - clear visual demonstration
Classic Enzyme Test Medium
Ideal for starch hydrolysis screening workflows
🔬 Product Overview
Starch Agar is designed for the differential detection of microorganisms capable of producing extracellular amylases. These enzymes hydrolyze soluble starch present in the medium into smaller carbohydrates, which can then be detected after incubation using iodine solution.
Because the base medium is nutritionally supportive, it allows growth of a broad range of bacteria and fungi, making it suitable for screening environmental, food, soil, industrial, and laboratory isolates.
The medium is widely used in bacteriology, biotechnology, enzyme research, industrial microbiology, and teaching laboratories where simple visual detection of starch hydrolysis is required.
⚗️ Principle of the Medium
Starch Agar uses soluble starch as the differential substrate for detecting amylase production:
Microbial growth on starch-containing medium
↓
Extracellular amylase secreted by positive organisms
↓
Hydrolysis of soluble starch around colonies
↓
Plate flooded with iodine solution
↓
Clear zone = positive starch hydrolysis
Blue-black background = unhydrolyzed starch
↓
Extracellular amylase secreted by positive organisms
↓
Hydrolysis of soluble starch around colonies
↓
Plate flooded with iodine solution
↓
Clear zone = positive starch hydrolysis
Blue-black background = unhydrolyzed starch
Readout advantage: the iodine reaction creates a strong visual contrast, making positive and negative reactions easy to interpret.
🧫 Applications
🦠 Microbial Screening
Detection of amylase-producing bacteria, fungi, and other amylolytic microorganisms.
🌱 Environmental & Soil Isolates
Useful for screening soil, environmental, and food-derived isolates for starch hydrolysis capacity.
🏭 Industrial Microbiology
Applicable in biotechnology and industrial microbiology for enzyme activity studies and strain selection.
🎓 Teaching & Demonstration
Excellent for classroom and laboratory demonstrations of extracellular enzymatic activity.
🔬 Research & QC
Suitable for research, strain profiling, and routine quality control screening of starch-degrading organisms.
📊 Key Features
Differential Starch Hydrolysis Test
Clear zones after iodine treatment indicate extracellular amylase activity.
Clear zones after iodine treatment indicate extracellular amylase activity.
Broad Organism Support
Nutrient-rich base supports growth of many bacteria and fungi.
Nutrient-rich base supports growth of many bacteria and fungi.
Simple Visual Readout
Iodine flooding provides an easy and reliable interpretation step.
Iodine flooding provides an easy and reliable interpretation step.
Versatile Use
Suitable for research, industrial microbiology, education, and QC testing.
Suitable for research, industrial microbiology, education, and QC testing.
🧪 Composition (per litre)
Final pH: 6.8–7.2 at 25 °C
🧭 Preparation
- Suspend 33 g of dehydrated medium in 1 litre of purified water.
- Heat with agitation until completely dissolved.
- Dispense into plates, flasks, or tubes as required.
- Sterilize by autoclaving at 121 °C for 15 minutes.
- Cool and allow the medium to solidify before inoculation.
💡 Interpretation
Positive Reaction
A clear halo around the colony after iodine application indicates starch hydrolysis and amylase production.
A clear halo around the colony after iodine application indicates starch hydrolysis and amylase production.
Negative Reaction
No clear zone; the surrounding starch remains blue-black after iodine treatment.
No clear zone; the surrounding starch remains blue-black after iodine treatment.
📋 Technical Specifications
| Product Name | Starch Agar |
| Catalogue Number | AS-1355 |
| Medium Type | Differential agar medium |
| Primary Use | Detection of amylase production |
| Differential Substrate | Soluble starch |
| Indicator Step | Iodine flooding after incubation |
| Incubation Temperature | 30–37 °C |
| Incubation Time | 24–48 h; up to 5 days for slow growers |
| Final pH | 6.8–7.2 at 25 °C |
| HS Code | 3821.00.00 |
🌡️ Incubation Guidance
- ✓ Typical temperature: 30–37 °C
- ✓ Routine reading: 24–48 h
- ✓ Slow-growing organisms: up to 5 days
- ✓ Apply iodine only after sufficient colony development
✅ Typical Use Cases
- ✓ Screening amylolytic isolates
- ✓ Comparing extracellular enzyme production
- ✓ Research and biotechnology workflows
- ✓ Educational demonstrations of hydrolytic enzymes
❄️ Storage
- ✓ Powdered medium: 15–30 °C, dry and tightly sealed
- ✓ Prepared plates: 2–8 °C
- ✓ Protect prepared medium from excessive light
- ✓ Use within 3 months for optimal performance
📄 Available Documentation
Technical Data Sheet (TDS)
Certificate of Analysis (COA)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
🧬 Related Enzyme & Differential Media
Complementary Media & Workflow Products
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AuSaMicS Pty Ltd • 31 Longview CT, Thomastown, VIC 3074, Australia • ABN 56676640467
Website: www.ausamics.com.au • Email: support@ausamics.com • Phone: +61 412 520 598
For laboratory use only. Not intended for human, animal, food, pharmaceutical, or therapeutic use. Product suitability should be verified by the user under validated cultivation and interpretation conditions.