Effect of Isolated Cultures Fermentation on the Microbial Loads of Fermented African Oil Bean Seed (Pentachletra macrophylla) Products

Abstract

The study explores the effect of isolated culture from traditionally fermented African oil bean seed on the microbial loads of pure and mixed cultures fermented “Ukana” (Ugba, African oil bean seed dessert). The isolates were morphologically and biochemically characterized. Their results as indicated in this study compared favorably to standard. Their characteristics resemble that of Bacillus substillis and Lactobacillus fermentum. These identified isolates were used as pure and mixed cultures to ferment African oil bean seed at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h. The result obtained indicated that total coliform and Staphylococcus aureus count increased across the fermentation period when AOBS was traditionally fermented but kept decreasing as the fermentation period progressed in pure and mixed cultures fermented samples. The range of the total fungal count (TFC) varied from 5.1 x 10⁴ Cfu/ml to 1.0 x 10³ Cfu/ml. Moreover, the number of Lactic acid bacteria recorded in this study outweighed the fungi count. The result also showed that the colony count of Lactic acid bacteria at 96 h fermentation period supersedes that of coliform, staphylococcus and fungi whereas the total coliform was higher in traditionally fermented AOBS. This result according to literature could be attributed to the production of bacitracin and organic acids, especially bacteriocins which can inhibit the proliferation of pathogenic organisms. Bacillus substillis and Lactobacillus fermemtum isolated in this research are desirable probiotics with enormous health functions.