BACTERIAL AND MYCOFLORA OF STORED LOCUST BEAN

ABSTRACT

Iru is a protein rich fermented African soup condiment which is considered the most important food condiment in the entire west/central African savannah region. Its production is however basically by traditional, household level fermentation technology laden with food-borne hazards at virtually all points during processing . The aim of this study was to  identify the microorganisms present in locust beans purchased from new benin market . Enumeration of the total heterotrophic count of bacterial and fungal species was carried out by pour plate technique using appropriate medium, nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar (PDA) with antimicrobial agents (streptomycin), incorporated to inhibit bacteria growth. The bacterial isolates was identified with a series of biochemical tests and fungal isolates were identified using cultural and morphological characterization. the total heterotrophic count of Bacterial ranged from  1.06- 2.7 x 10³  Cfu/ml and the fungal count  ranged from 2.4 – 4.5 x 10³ Cfu/ml from new benin market. The species of fungi isolated and identified at the end of the analysis were Fusarium sp and Saccharomyces sp . These fungal and bacterial colonization and contamination of stored locust bean cause inedibility, reduce market value and depletion of its nutrients. Hence, adequate drying of crops, prevention of moisture re-absorption and the general improvement of storage facilities at all levels of production is recommended as a safe guard against fungi deterioration of locust bean.