Identification of bacteria associated with pap (Ogi/Akamu) stored at room and refrigerated temperatures

Stored pap (ogi/akamu) has been reported to harbor several microorganisms including bacteria. The study was focused on identification of bacteria associated with pap (ogi/akamu) stored at room and refrigerated temperatures. The assayed pap was produced by soaking yellow maize (500 g) in sterile water and allowed to ferment for 72h and then grinded using home blender, sieved with a muslin cloth to obtain the pap. The pap was divided into two equal parts. One part was stored at room temperature and the other stored in a refrigerator for 9days respectively. At every 24h, each of the samples was taken to the laboratory for examination. The serially diluted pap samples were inoculated into De man rogosa and sharpe agar, nutrient agar, mannitol salt agar, salmonella shigella agar and MacConkey agar respectively and were incubated at 37 ℃ for 24h. The numbers of microbial colonies on the nutrient agar plates were counted using a colony counter. The phenotypic characterizations were carried out on the isolates and molecular identification done on the predominant lactic acid bacteria. The phenotypic characterization revealed the isolated bacteria as Lactobacillus sp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp. and Staphylococcus aureus. The molecular characterization confirmed the predominant bacteria as Lactobacillus plantarum FPS. The total bacterial count was more at room temperature samples (±3.78CFU/ml) than refrigerated temperature (±0.41CFU/ml). There was significant difference between the recovered bacteria at room and refrigerated temperature (p>0.05). The obtained result confirmed room temperature unsafe for storing pap and refrigerator temperature better option for storing them.