| Technique | MALONATE ,(/,)/,( |
| Principle | The malonate test was introduced by Leifson (1933) to help distinguish E. coli from Klebsiella aerogenes and with these orgranisms he found a perfect correlation with the V-P test. Shaw showed that most strains of the Arizona group were malonate positive and most other Salmonella were malonate negative. Both these groups are V-P negative and there is clearly no correlation between the malonate and V-P test.s. |
| Cautions | |
| Method | Inoculate malonate phenylalanine medum and incubate for 24 hours |
| Results | A positive reaction is indicated by a deep blue colour; a negative reaction by the unchanged greenish colour of the medium. with some strains a yellow colour appears |
| Positive control | Klebsiella aerogenes |
| Negative control | Proteus vulgaris |
| Reagents | |
| Reference |