Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I need to purchase a non-harmful bacteria culture to use in my science fair project and I don't know what kind of bacteria to use or where to purchase it online. I just need it to grow in nutrient agar in a week. Thanks!

Hi Amber,

There's a safe bacterial strain that's made for lab experiments and that is Escherichia coli--E. coli K12. It has been 'engineered' so that it does not survive well in the environment and normally does not cause human disease.

You can buy a culture of the bacteria for about $10 at Carolina Biologicals--http://www.carolina.com/catalog/search- ... SearchForm

They also sell nutrient agar if you need that.

If you haven't already done so, be sure to read the Scibuddies tutorials on using bacteria safely: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... ents.shtml https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... fety.shtml

Please post again if you have questions about how to grow and use E coli.

Good luck!

Sybee