Levine EMB Agar is a solid medium recommended for use in qualitative procedures for selective and differential isolation of Gram-negative enteric bacilli from clinical specimens.

• Easy-to-read: due to Eosin–Y and methylene blue indicators Escherichia coli (purple colonies with a green metallic sheen) are easy to differentiate from Enterobacteria aerogenes (purple mucoid colonies). Non-lactose fermenters, such as Shigella and Salmonella form mucoid, pink brown colonies in less acidic conditions.
• Selective: the presence of Eosin and methylene blue makes the medium slightly selective and inhibit certain Gram-positive bacteria.
• Ready-to-use: convenience of prepared media.

Eosin and methylene blue dyes provide for differentiation of enteric Gram-negative bacilli based on the fermentation of lactose and the absorption of the dyes by the bacterial colonies. Eosin blue combines with methylene blue indicator to produce a color change when lactose is fermented. As the Levine modification does not contain sucrose and therefore, slow lactose-fermenters may mimic the appearance of enteric pathogens.

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