EVALUATING THE PROBIOTIC POTENTIALS OF BACTERIA ISOLATED

ABSTRACT

Fermented foods are known to contain active components such as probiotics and antioxidants. Probiotics are living microbes which when taken in sufficient amounts confer health benefits. Due to lactose intolerance in some individuals and the high fat content of dairy foods, other means of obtaining probiotics have been explored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the probiotic potential of some bacteria isolated from fermented condiments. Samples of iru, ogiri and ugba were purchased from New Benin Market in Benin City, Edo State. Enumeration and Isolation of bacterial and lactic acid bacteria were carried out using nutrient agar and De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe agar, using pour plate technique. Cultural, morphological and biochemical tests were employed to identify the bacteria isolated. The bacterial isolates were subjected to acidic pH of 3 and bile salt concentration of 0.3%. The antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates were determined using the disc diffusion method. The antibacterial activity of the isolates were tested against three test pathogens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp. and Klebsiella sp. The mean heterotrophic bacterial counts of fermented condiments ranged from 5.00±0.28 (ogiri) - 8.70±0.42×107 cfu/g (iru) while the lactic acid bacterial counts ranged from 0.80±0.28 (iru) – 2.60±0.57×105 cfu/g. Bacillus subtilis I, Escherichia coli and Citrobacter sp. I were isolated from iru, Bacillus subtilis E1, Streptococcus sp. and Bacillus subtilis E2 were isolated from the ogiri while Lactobacillum fermentum, Citrobacter sp. U, Lactobacillus sp. U1 and Lactobacillus sp.