BD 214040 - Difco Bacto Agar Dehydrated Culture Media, 10 kg Pail, Temperature-Sensitive Non-Returnable Laboratory Agar
The BD 214040 Difco Bacto Agar is a high-quality dehydrated agar product supplied in a 10 kg pail for professional laboratory, microbiology, research, and industrial applications. Bacto Agar is widely used as a solidifying agent in culture media preparation, supporting the growth, isolation, and maintenance of microorganisms when combined with appropriate nutrients and laboratory formulations.
This product is supplied as a dehydrated medium component and is intended for use by trained laboratory professionals. The 10 kg pail format is suitable for facilities with high-volume media preparation needs, including microbiology laboratories, pharmaceutical quality control departments, academic research institutions, biotechnology facilities, food testing laboratories, and industrial microbiology operations.
BD 214040 is temperature-sensitive, non-returnable, available for Continental US shipment only, and may be subject to manufacturer backorder with limited inventory when available. Buyers should confirm availability, shipping conditions, and lead time before placing an order.
Key Benefits
BD 214040 Difco Bacto Agar supports reliable culture media preparation by providing a dependable dehydrated agar base for laboratory workflows. Its primary benefit is its ability to act as a solidifying agent, helping laboratories create agar plates, slants, and other prepared media formats used in microbiological testing and research.
The 10 kg pail size supports operational efficiency for high-use laboratories by reducing the frequency of reordering and helping maintain supply continuity when inventory is available. For laboratories that prepare media in-house, bulk packaging can support better workflow planning and improved cost control compared with smaller container sizes.
Because this product is manufactured by BD under the Difco brand, it is suitable for facilities that prioritize consistency, recognized laboratory media sourcing, and standardized microbiology procedures. Its dehydrated format also supports practical storage and preparation when handled according to manufacturer instructions.
Compatibility and Applications
BD 214040 Difco Bacto Agar is compatible with laboratory media preparation workflows where agar is required as a solidifying agent. It may be used with appropriate nutrient formulations, buffers, additives, selective agents, and enrichment components according to validated laboratory methods.
Common applications include microbiological culture media preparation, bacterial culture support, environmental monitoring media, food and beverage testing media, pharmaceutical quality control testing, academic microbiology research, biotechnology research, and general laboratory culture workflows.
This product is typically used in hospitals, clinical research laboratories, university laboratories, pharmaceutical manufacturing quality control labs, biotech facilities, food safety laboratories, industrial microbiology departments, and contract testing organizations. It is not intended for direct patient use, injection, administration, or therapeutic application.
Usage Guidelines
Use BD 214040 Difco Bacto Agar only according to the applicable BD instructions, validated laboratory procedure, and facility standard operating procedures. Laboratory personnel should confirm the correct formulation, concentration, hydration process, heating method, sterilization conditions, and final media preparation requirements before use.
Measure the required amount using calibrated laboratory equipment. Add the agar to the appropriate solvent or media formulation as directed by the validated method. Heat and mix carefully to dissolve the agar fully, then sterilize and dispense according to laboratory protocol.
Because this product is temperature-sensitive, it should be stored and handled according to manufacturer recommendations. Keep the container tightly closed when not in use, protect the product from moisture and contamination, and avoid exposure to unsuitable environmental conditions. Do not use the product if the container is damaged, contaminated, expired, or if the material shows signs of compromise.
Certifications and Safety Standards
BD 214040 Difco Bacto Agar is manufactured for professional laboratory use and should be handled in accordance with applicable laboratory safety standards, institutional quality procedures, and manufacturer guidance. Facilities using this product should maintain appropriate documentation for lot number, expiration date, storage conditions, and internal quality control.
Regulatory and compliance requirements may vary depending on the laboratorys intended use, testing environment, and industry sector. Buyers should confirm current product documentation, certificate of analysis availability, safety data sheet, quality specifications, and applicable compliance details through BD, CIA Medical, or authorized product documentation before use.
Comparison with Competitors
Compared with generic agar products, BD 214040 Difco Bacto Agar offers the advantage of being part of BDs established Difco microbiology media line. This may be important for laboratories that require recognized sourcing, lot traceability, and consistency for standardized culture media preparation.
Compared with smaller agar containers, the 10 kg pail is better suited for laboratories with frequent or large-scale media preparation needs. It can help reduce purchasing frequency, support bulk inventory planning, and improve workflow continuity when product availability is limited.
Compared with pre-poured agar plates or ready-to-use prepared media, dehydrated Bacto Agar gives laboratories greater control over formulation, additives, concentration, and final media configuration. This flexibility is especially valuable for research, quality control, and validated internal methods where custom media preparation is required.
Typical User Profile and Application Scenarios
The typical users of BD 214040 Difco Bacto Agar include microbiologists, laboratory technicians, research scientists, quality control analysts, media preparation specialists, academic researchers, and laboratory procurement teams responsible for sourcing microbiology media components.
This product is most useful in high-volume laboratory environments where agar-based media is prepared regularly. Typical scenarios include bacterial culture preparation, quality control testing, research media development, environmental monitoring, food safety testing, pharmaceutical microbiology testing, and educational laboratory preparation.
Best Practices for Use and Maintenance
Store BD 214040 Difco Bacto Agar in a clean, dry, controlled laboratory storage area according to manufacturer recommendations. Keep the pail sealed when not in use to protect the dehydrated agar from moisture, contamination, and environmental exposure.
Use clean, dry, dedicated measuring tools to avoid introducing contaminants into the container. Record lot number, opening date, expiration date, and storage conditions according to facility policy. Rotate inventory using first-expiring, first-out practices to reduce waste and maintain quality.
During media preparation, follow validated heating, mixing, sterilization, and dispensing procedures. Confirm final media quality using applicable internal quality control checks, such as appearance, gel strength, sterility checks, growth promotion testing, pH verification, or other method-specific requirements.
Because this product is temperature-sensitive and non-returnable, purchasing teams should verify storage capacity, shipping requirements, and immediate receiving procedures before ordering. Inspect the shipment upon arrival and document any visible damage or temperature-related concerns according to facility policy.
Regulatory and Safety Information
BD 214040 Difco Bacto Agar is intended for professional laboratory use only. It should not be used for direct patient administration, therapeutic procedures, or any application outside the intended laboratory setting.
Personnel should follow standard laboratory safety practices, including proper personal protective equipment, spill management procedures, safe handling of dehydrated powders, and appropriate disposal of prepared media and biological materials. Prepared media used for microbial culture should be handled and discarded according to applicable biosafety, institutional, federal, state, and local requirements.
Facilities should review the current BD safety data sheet, product labeling, certificate of analysis, and relevant quality documentation before use. Compliance requirements may differ depending on whether the product is used in research, clinical, pharmaceutical, food safety, environmental, or industrial testing workflows.
How to Order
Select the BD 214040 Bacto Agar Dehydrated 10 kg Pail and add it to your cart. Complete checkout with your preferred shipping and payment options. This product is temperature-sensitive, non-returnable, available for Continental US shipment only, and may be affected by manufacturer backorder or limited inventory when available. For bulk orders, quotes, availability checks, or further assistance, contact CIA Medical customer service at (312) 275-5850 or use the contact form on this page.
