Authors : S.O. Jimoh, S.A. Ado , J.B. Ameh and C.M.Z. Whong
Abstract: Yeasts play a central role in the fermentation of foods and beverages, mainly those with high carbohydrate content which can survive and grow under stress conditions. Fermented beverages (burukutu, pito and palmwine) were selected in order to characterize the indigenous yeast flora by API AUX 20C kit. The prevalence rate of different yeast strains isolated in the research shows that yeast varies in their morphological and physiological characteristics. The prevalence rate of the yeast strains with respect to their sources of isolation are burukutu (39.29%), pito (33.93%) and palmwine (26.79%), respectively. The yeast strains associated are Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1, Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa 2, Candida colliculosa, Candida utilis, Candida magnolia, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa 1, Trichosporon asahii, Rhodotorula glutinis, Candida pelliculosa and Cryptococcus albidus, respectively.
S.O. Jimoh, S.A. Ado , J.B. Ameh and C.M.Z. Whong , 2011. Characteristics and Diversity of Yeast in Locally Fermented Beverages Sold in Nigeria. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 6: 389-392.