• 2020-06-10
• K.T. Adegbehingbe, M.O. Bello, V.T. Folorunso, O.R. Ojo
• Volume 2, Issue 1

Abstract

Lafun is among the foods produced from the fermentation of cassava tubers. Lafun flours were obtained from six different communities in Akoko area of Ondo State. Total bacterial counts and the lactic acid bacterial counts of the samples were determined. The pH, total titratable acidities TTA and temperature of the samples were also evaluated. The antibacterial activities of the predominant lactic acid bacteria from the samples were assayed against some pathogenic microorganisms using agar well diffusion methods. The highest bacterial counts and lactic acid bacteria counts of 4.61 × 106 cfu/g and 4.85 × 106 cfu/g were obtained from Iwaro Oka sample while the lowest counts of 1.2 × 106 cfu/g and 1.5 × 106 cfu/g were obtained from Akungba-Akoko and Ayegunle-Oka samples respectively. Bacteria that were isolated from the samples were Lactobacillus plantarum, L. fermentum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Streptococcus feacalis, Staphylococcus aureus Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus. The highest and the lowest pH values of 5.4 and 3.4 were obtained from unfermented sample and the laboratory fermented sample respectively. The highest and the lowest total titratable acidities were obtained from the laboratory fermented sample (3.3%) and the unfermented sample (0.5%) respectively. The temperature of the lafun samples ranged from 28oC to 31oC. Lactobacillus plantarum and L. fermentum which were the predominant lactic acid bacteria from the samples inhibited B. cereus, E. coli and S. aureus and Str. feacalis isolated from the sample. This study suggested that the antimicrobial substances produced by L. plantarum and L. fermentum are potential bio-preservatives. The organisms should be investigated further for their health benefits.