Isolation And Characterization Of Lactic Acid Bacteria In Kirario, An Indigenous Kenyan Fermented Porridge Based On Green Maize And Millet

Abstract

The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the most diverse groups of bacteria known, and have been used by many communities in the World in spontaneous fermentation to produce fermented porridges with unique technological characteristics. Kirario is a traditional fermented porridge based on green maize, millet and/or sorghum produced by spontaneous fermentation for 24 to 48 hours at ambient temperature. Kirario contained mean total viable counts, LAB, lactococcus, and yeast and moulds counts of 9.30, 9.63, 8.62 and 4.83log10cfu/ml respectively. The coliform numbers encountered were <1 log10cfu/ml. A total of 120 LAB were isolated from kirario and characterized morphologically and physiologically. Thirty LAB isolates were subsequently characterized using biochemical tests and presumptively identified by their ability to ferment 50 carbohydrates using API 50 CHL system. The main LAB genera identified in kirario were the Lactobacillus (60%), Leuconostoc (27%) and Lactococcus (13%) which were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus collinoides, Lactobacillus coprophilus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. mesenteroides/detranicum, Leuconostoc citreum, Lactococcus lactis ssp. Lactis and Lactococcus raffinolactis. Lactobacillus plantarum was the most predominant and comprised of 47% of the total LAB isolates, followed by Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. mesenteroides/detranicum at 16%.

Keywords: Kirario; Fermentation; Characterization; Lactic Acid Bacteria;