In Vitro Studies of the Probiotic Properties of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Akamu – A Nigerian Weaning Food

Akamu is a popular fermented nutritive porridge made from cereals and is mostly eaten at infancy as a weaning food. Lactic acid bacteria contribute towards the safety, nutritional value, shelf life and acceptability of a wide range of cereal based foods and have been reported to have probiotic potential against gastrointestinal microorganisms, thus in vitro studies of the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from akamu produced with sorghum and maize grains were carried out using standard analytical methods. The pH of the cereal slurries decreased while the titratable acidity and the total lactic acid bacterial counts increased during the period of the studies. The lactic acid bacteria isolated were lactobacillus delbrueckii subspp bulgaricus, L. fermentum, L. brevis, L. plantarum, L. amylovorus, Pediococcus acidilactici acid, P. Pentosaceus. The isolates grew optimally at pH 4.0 and NaCl concentration of 3.0% and survived in fresh bovine bile. The bacteria except Lactobacillus brevis adhered to the intestinal mucosa as shown by the cell surface hydrophobicity assay and were resistant to most of the antibiotics used. This study indicated that the lactic acid bacteria isolated from raw akamu have probiotic characteristics and that raw akamu will be effective in the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.