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Additives & Chemicals
Peptone (10g)
A water-soluble protein powder that gives mushroom mycelium ready nitrogen and amino acids. A small amount enriches a litre of liquid culture or agar.
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Resealable 10g pouch. Keep it dry.
Peptides, amino acids and salts the mycelium can use straight away
Typical dose is around 1 to 5g per litre, so 10g covers several batches
Hygroscopic powder, store cool, dry and tightly closed
The short version
Peptone is a protein hydrolysate. It is protein broken down into peptides and amino acids, the form fungi take up directly, so it gives mycelium a fast nitrogen source.
You add a small amount to liquid culture or agar, usually around 1 to 5 grams per litre. This 10g pouch covers several litres of media.
WHAT IT IS
What peptone is
Peptone is made by breaking protein down into smaller pieces, usually with enzymes or acid. The result is a water-soluble powder of peptides, amino acids and salts, with smaller amounts of vitamins carried over from the source protein. The protein is most often animal (casein or meat) or plant (soya), and the source is sometimes named on the grade.
The point of it is nitrogen. Fungi build their cells from amino acids, and peptone supplies those amino acids ready to use along with the nitrogen they contain. Typical bacteriological peptone runs around 12% total nitrogen, with the free amino nitrogen somewhere around 2 to 5% depending on the grade. In a mushroom medium it works as the protein side of the recipe, sitting alongside a sugar source such as malt extract for energy.
HOW TO USE IT
Using peptone in liquid culture and agar
Peptone is a supplement, not a standalone medium. You add a small amount to your usual liquid culture or agar recipe to boost the nitrogen and speed up colonisation. Common rates are around 1 to 2 grams per litre for liquid culture, and around 2 to 5 grams per litre in richer agar recipes. Weigh it where you can, since these are small amounts. A level teaspoon is not accurate enough at this scale.
Weigh and dissolve
Add the peptone to the water along with the rest of the recipe, for example malt extract for a liquid culture, or malt extract and agar for plates. Stir until it dissolves. It goes into solution easily.
Sterilise the medium
Pressure cook or autoclave the finished medium in the normal way, usually 15 minutes at 15 psi. Peptone goes through this step with the rest of the mix and does not need separate handling.
Cool, then work clean
Let liquid culture cool, or pour agar plates, then inoculate under still air or in front of a flow hood as you normally would. Use sterile technique throughout.
More is not better. Too much nitrogen can encourage soft, ropey growth and gives any contaminant more to feed on. Start at the low end of the range and only increase if a culture clearly needs it.
STORAGE & HANDLING
Storage and handling
Peptone is hygroscopic, which means it pulls moisture from the air and can clump if left open. Keep the pouch tightly closed and store it somewhere cool and dry. Stored this way the powder is stable for a long time. Keep it away from oxidising agents.
It is not classed as a hazardous substance, but treat it like any lab powder. Avoid raising or breathing the dust, keep it off your skin and out of your eyes, and wash your hands after handling.
WHAT IT IS NOT
What peptone is not
It is not a complete medium on its own and not an energy source. It supplies nitrogen and amino acids, so it pairs with a carbon source like malt extract rather than replacing it. It is not food and not a supplement for people or animals, even where a grade is described as food grade. It is a microbiology ingredient for preparing culture media.
Common questions
Frequently asked
Around 1 to 2g per litre for liquid culture, and around 2 to 5g per litre in richer agar recipes. Start low.
Yes. Sterilise the finished medium as normal, usually 15 minutes at 15 psi. The peptone is dissolved in with the rest.
No. It is a nitrogen supplement and needs a carbon source such as malt extract in the recipe.
Peptone absorbs moisture from the air. Keep it sealed and dry. Clumped powder that has stayed dry still dissolves.
No, it is not classed as hazardous. Still avoid raising the dust and wash your hands after use.
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Sold as a microbiology media ingredient for laboratory and legal gourmet mushroom cultivation. Not for human or animal consumption.
We work hard to keep this information accurate and to cite reputable sources, but the occasional mistake can still slip through. Always check the product label and a current reference before relying on any figure for something important.