A selective medium was proposed for isolating the species Carnobacterium maltaromaticum from cheeses. This medium, named CM, was elaborated using combinations of three antibiotics (gentamicin, nalidixic acid, vancomycin) and alkaline pH value (8.8). An experimental design (Doehlert matrix) was drawn up to optimize the experimental conditions of the preparation of the medium. Based on the TS-YE agar medium, it contained 3.5 mg L(-1) of vancomycin, 5.0 mg L(-1) of gentamicin, and 20 mg L(-1) of nalidixic acid. The incubation time was 36 to 48 h at 25 degrees C. The selectivity of this medium was tested against bacterial strains present in the dairy industry and controlled by the PCR method. Thanks to this medium, it was easy to detect C. maltaromaticum and to follow this species in the cheese-making process.