Bacteria Species Associated with Ugba (Pentaclethra macrophylla) Produced Traditionally and in the Laboratory and the Effect of Fermentation on Product of Oligosaccharide Hydrolysis

Abstract

Study on isolation of bacterial species associated with ugba fermentation was  carried out. Bacterial species including Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus firmus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella and Staphylococcus were isolated from traditionally fermented ugba (TPU) obtained from the market, whereas laboratory produced ugba (LPU) indicated the presence of Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus before boiling and fermentation. The absence of Bacillus pumilus and Staphylococcus was evident in LPU during post fermentation assay.  Quantitative estimation of pentose and hexose sugars which are product of  hydrolysis of galacto-oligosaccharide content of the test legume reduced from 1158 ppm – 346.4 ppm and 588 ppm – 516 ppm respectively. Greater loss was observed after boiling of LPU (564 and 486 mg/l) on comparison to TPU (94 and 10 mg/l) for pentose and hexose respectively. Plasmid profile analysis carried out showed that Bacillus species from fermented and unfermented ugba had bands indicating the presence in the organism of the genes coding for enzymes responsible for hydrolysis of oligosaccharides in the substrate. This study elucidates the need for good manufacturing practices and adequate boiling before consumption of ugba with the view to prove that there are other Bacillus species aside B. subtilis which can ferment ugba (Pentaclethra macrophylla) to give it its characteristic flavour and taste. It also quantified the effect of fermentation process on some dietary carbohydrate content of the ugba.

Keywords: Bacterial species, ugba, fermentation, galacto-oligosaccharide,  hydrolysis.