Microbiological and biochemical changes during fermentation of kanji

A fermented beverage kanji was prepared from crimson coloured carrots by na tural fermentation at ambient temperature. Microbiological and chemical cha racteristics of this product were studied for 15 days from the start of fer mentation. The fermentation was found to be a typical lactic acid fermentat ion by Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The initial microbial counts in the brine varied from 10(3) to 10(5) cfu ml(-1), which increased to a maximum value of 10(7) cfu ml(-1) as the fermentation progressed. Initial microbial load was due to soil bacteria belonging to Bacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. Af ter four days of start of fermentation, the fermentation was complete, acid ity and pH were 0.3% and 4.0 respectively.