Question Detail
Question
The enriching property of chocolate agar, making it suitable for growing fastidious organisms like Neisseria and Haemophilus, primarily comes from the presence of:
Correct Answer
Option C is the correct answer.
Detailed Explanation
Chocolate agar is a non-selective, enriched growth medium that contains red blood cells that have been lysed by heating. This releases intracellular nutrients like hemin (X factor) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD, V factor) into the agar, which are essential for the growth of fastidious bacteria.
Hint
The name 'chocolate' refers to the color, which is derived from a specific treated ingredient.