Cereal and Olive Oil Quadrant Streak

Heather Carlson, Microbiology Lab 3

Introduction
The objective of this experiment is to isolate microbes on a streak plate. Identifying microbes is achieved
with this method. The purpose for streaking microbes is so that they can be stained and seen under a
microscope after being gram stained. A microscope was not used in this experiment and neither was a
gram stain or incubator.

Materials and Method

Materials:

 Grape Nuts cereal

 Vegetable oil for the medium
 Ceramic plate used for the agar plate
 Plastic cup used to remove particles
 Glass cup as culture tube
 Spoon for loop
The small particles and the medium are mixed in the culture tube to begin. The loop is sterilized, and a
sample is placed on the plate using the quadrant streak method. Once the first sample is placed on the
plate, the loop is sterilized. Using the sterilized loop, the second streak is made perpendicular to the first
streak. The process was then repeated until all four streaks were made. Once all four streaks were made,
under normal lab conditions the plate would then go in an incubator. Since this is a home lab, the plate
was not placed in an incubator nor was it gram stained.

Results
Observation of the materials being mixed in the beginning to start the experiment. There was a thick
mixture of small, textured particles but it was easily mixed. The first streak was made and there was
observation of a mixed substance with small, textured particles with the medium not spreading out as
much. The particles were small, very textured and spread out easily. Observation of the second streak
revealed the same number of particles being spread out easily. The medium did not spread out as
predicted. The third streak revealed more particles and a clumpy appearance. The fourth streak was much
like the third with a lot of particles and clumping. Observing the medium, it was clear but not as runny as
predicted. The third and fourth streak revealed particles sticking together and clumping into a large group.

Discussion
In a lab a gram stain would be performed after isolation of the colonies on the agar plate. Since this was a
home lab, the gram stain was not performed. By performing a quadrant streak, the microbe was isolated
and would be able to be seen under a microscope following a gram stain. The microbe would also be able
to be identified.
References

Leboffe, Michael J., and Burton E. Pierce. Microbiology: Laboratory Theory and Application:
Essentials. Morton Publishing, 2019.

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