Improvements in performance of a lysine conductance medium for the detection of salmonellas were achieved from a study of the effects of its various components. When sodium biselenite was included as an inhibitor for non‐salmonella organisms conductance signals were depressed. The inclusion of sodium chloride reduced this toxicity and improved conductance responses. Increasing the pH to pH 7.0 prevented the medium becoming too acidic and inhibitory to salmonellas. The new medium detected 70‐0% of salmonella‐positive animal protein samples.

No significant differences in electrical conductance parameters were observed when multiple portions of animal proteins were examined for salmonella on three Malthus 2000 analysers. No differences were noted in the isolation rates from conductance tubes on the three analysers. Results also indicates the importance of examining multiple samples due to uneven distribution of organisms in a dry matrix.