malonate reaction

malonate reaction

A colorimetric test of the ability of bacteria to use malonate as a source of carbon, the endpoint of which is the production of alkaline metabolites that induce a colour change. The malonite reaction can be used to differentiate among Enterobacteriaceae: Klebsiella pneumoniae is positive (blue at 24 hours), Escherichia coli is negative (culture remains green); the test can also be used to separate Salmonella arizonae (positive) from other Salmonella spp (negative).