SIGNIFICANCE OF YEASTS AND MOLDS OCCURRING IN MAIZE DOUGH FERMENTATION FOR KENKEY PRODUCTION

Yeasts and moulds associated with the fermentation of maize dough duri ng the processing of the West African traditional food 'kenkey' were i nvestigated. A mixed flora comprising Candida, Saccharomyces, Trichosp oron, Kluyveromyces and Debaryomyces species were isolated from raw ma ize, during steeping and early phases of fermentation. After 24-48 h o f fermentation, Candida krusei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae dominated reaching counts exceeding 10(6) cfu/g. This succession of yeast popula tions and the significant multiplication of C. krusei and S. cerevisia e were observed in all cases for both the fermentation and the product ion sites investigated. Penicillium, Aspergillus and Fusarium species, including potential mycotoxin producers, were isolated from raw maize . Initial high counts of 10(5) cfu/g for moulds were reduced to less t han 10(2) cfu/g within 24 h of fermentation. High levels of aflatoxins were observed in raw maize, and they were not affected during the fer mentations.