Description
Bile salts are biochemical compounds derived from bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile salts aid in the emulsification and digestion of fats in the small intestine. In bacteriological applications, bile salts are often used as selective agents in culture media to inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria while promoting the growth of Gram-negative bacteria. This selective property makes bile salts valuable in microbiological studies, particularly in the isolation and identification of enteric pathogens and in determining the bile tolerance of microorganisms.