This monograph has been assessed by members of the IUMS–ICFMH Working Party on Culture Media and given ‘Approved’ status.

This is a selective enrichment medium used in procedures for the detection and isolation of salmonellae. Selectivity is conferred by the inclusion of sodium selenite in the medium, shown by Leifson (1936) to be much more inhibitory to other members of the Enterobacteriaceae than to many strains of Salmonella, in particular Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi. Selenite cystine broth is a modification (North and Bartram, 1953) of the original Leifson (1936) formula, differing only in the addition of L-cystine which is considered to enhance Salmonella growth by reduction of toxicity.