Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Detecting enteric pathogens like Salmonella in seafood requires specific selective and differential growth media to suppress background flora while promoting the growth of the target bacteria.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate each bacteriological medium listed:
- A. BSA (Bismuth Sulfite Agar): Highly selective and differential medium designed specifically for the isolation of Salmonella species.
- B. XLD agar (Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar): Standard selective and differential medium used for isolating and identifying Salmonella (which produces characteristic red colonies with black centers due to \(\text{H}_2\text{S}\) production).
- C. HEA (Hektoen Enteric Agar): Highly selective medium used to differentiate Salmonella and Shigella from other enterics.
- D. TCBS (Thiosulfate Citrate Bile Salts Sucrose agar): Specific selective medium for isolating Vibrio species.
- E. EMB (Eosin Methylene Blue agar): General-purpose selective/differential medium for coliforms and E. coli.
Therefore, BSA, XLD, and HEA are the media used for Salmonella isolation.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct combination is A, B, and C only, which corresponds to option (C).