CHARACTERIZATION AND FREQUENCY-DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES OF LACTIC-ACIDBACTERIA INVOLVED IN THE PROCESSING OF MAWE, A FERMENTED MAIZE DOUGH FROM BENIN

Lactic acid bacteria involved in the natural fermentation of both home -produced and commercial mawe were investigated during a 72 h fermenta tion period. Lactobacillus spp. constitute the majority (94%) of the s trains of the lactic acid bacteria isolated, among which 89% represent the Betabacterium group. They include L. fermentum (biotype cellobios us) (41%), L. fermentum or L. reuteri (19%), L. brevis (26%), L. confu sus (less than 2%), L. curvatus (less than 1%) and L. buchneri (less t han 1%). Other isolated lactic acid bacteria were L. salivarius, Lacto coccus lactis, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Pediococcus acidilactici and L euconostoc mesenteroides. Several species were detected at the early s tage of fermentation, but the final stage was dominated by L. fermentu m (biotype cellobiosus) and L. fermentum or L. reuteri totalling 90% o f the isolated strains. The trend was the same for both home-produced and commercial mawe. No strains of L. plantarum, generally reported as dominating lactic acid bacteria at the final stage of fermentation of most plant foods, were isolated.