Chocolate Agar is a type of growth medium used in microbiology to culture bacteria. It is enriched with nutrients, including hemoglobin, which gives it a brown color resembling chocolate. This medium is particularly effective for growing fastidious organisms, such as Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which require specific growth factors. The preparation of chocolate agar involves heating blood agar, which lyses red blood cells and releases nutrients. This process allows for the growth of a wider variety of bacteria compared to standard agar. Chocolate agar is commonly used in clinical laboratories to diagnose infections caused by these challenging pathogens.