Composition and Origin of the Fermentation Microbiota of Mahewu, a Zimbabwean Fermented Cereal Beverage.

ABSTRACT: Mahewu is a fermented cereal beverage produced in Zimbabwe. This study determined the composition and origin of mahewu microbiota. The microbiota of mahewu samples consisted of 3 to 7 dominant strains of lactobacilli and two strains of yeasts. Enterobacteriaceae were not detected. Candida glabrata was present in high cell counts from samples collected in summer but not from samples collected in winter. Millet malt is the only raw ingredient used in the production of mahewu and is a likely source of fermentation microbiota; therefore, malt microbiota was also analyzed by culture-dependent and high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing methodologies. Millet malt contained 8 to 19 strains of Enterobacteriaceae, lactobacilli, bacilli, and very few yeasts. Strain-specific qua

SUBMITTER: Pswarayi F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6532028 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature