Analysis by gas liquid chromatography of production of volatile fatty acids by anaerobic bacteria grown on solid medium.

Volatile fatty acids produced in Robertson's cooked meat medium by a range of clinically relevant anaerobes were compared by gas liquid chromatography with those produced in blood agar. The same volatile fatty acid profiles were obtained in both media, although the concentration of acids was lower in blood agar. We conclude that detection of volatile fatty acids from a pure culture of an organism on solid medium is practicable and offers advantages over the conventional technique.