Consumables for inoculation in microbiology
In microbiology, inoculation is defined as the introduction of microorganisms into a culture where they can grow and reproduce. It is most often used in laboratory practices and research where scientists want to grow and study certain strains and species of bacteria. Bacteria and other microorganisms can be inoculated into a variety of environments where they can grow.
Agar plates are among the most common media used in laboratories for the culture of bacteria and other microorganisms. A small inoculation loop is immersed in a solution containing bacterial cells and is used to strip (or inoculate) the plates with the bacteria. The plates are then stored at the appropriate temperature for bacterial growth for later study.
It is also possible to inoculate suspensions of liquid media for bacterial growth. Usually, a single culture of bacteria is added to a small solution, mixed and pipetted into the liquid medium.
