Prepared entirely from vegetable protein - and certified GM-free - this range of culture media should present zero risk of TSE prion contamination
Oxoid has added a new vegetable-based culture medium to its Veggietone range of meat-free culture media and peptones.
New Oxoid Vegetable Peptone Phosphate Broth (VPPB-VG200) has been developed as a substitute for Tryptose Phosphate Broth (TPB) in situations where 'meat-free' status is advantageous, such as certain pharmaceutical and biotechnology applications. Despite meticulous precautions, concerns remain that the use of meat-based growth media could lead to contamination of production lines with prions responsible for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and other Transmissable Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs).
Manufactured entirely from vegetable protein (pea flour) and containing no raw material of animal origin, Oxoid VPPB reduces this risk.
Moreover, like other products in the Veggietone range, this product has been certified as free from genetically modified material.
Oxoid VPPB is ideal for use as an alternative to TPB in tissue culture media.
In trials, Oxoid VPPB demonstrated equivalent performance to TPB when added to tissue culture media used to grow BHK 21 cells for the yield of Foot and Mouth disease virus.
In addition, in microbiological applications, Oxoid VPPB has been shown to be a suitable alternative to TPB for the growth of fastidious micro-organisms, demonstrating equivalent growth curves for Streptococcus species, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis.
Although the incidence of BSE in the UK has declined rapidly, due to strict eradication procedures, there has been an increase in the number of cases throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
The first case of BSE in Asia, confirmed in a dairy cow in Eastern Japan, was reported last year and in February 2002 the first suspected case of vCJD (the human form of BSE) in Italy has been the cause of further media attention and concern. Quality control tested to meet US, British, European, and Japanese Pharmacopoeia performance standards, Oxoid Veggietones are reliable alternatives to meat-based products and provide valuable reassurance for pharmaceutical manufacturers and the public alike.
