Skip to main content

Selection and characterisation of the predominant Lactobacillus species as a starter culture in the preparation of kocho, fermented food from enset

Food Science and Biotechnology volume 28, pages 1125–1134 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) (false banana) plant is a multipurpose traditional crop widely cultivated in the south and southwestern Ethiopia. A study was conducted to determine the predominant microbes from kocho for subsequent use as a starter culture. Accordingly, a total of 40 lactic acid bacteria associated with kocho were characterized both at the phenotypic and genotypic level. Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus paracasei/casei and Lactobacillus fermentum were the isolated strains during kocho fermentation. Most L. plantarum showed rapid acidification and the higher growth rate than L. brevis. Based on these results L. plantarum (n = 10) and L. brevis (n = 3) were selected as possible starter strains and applied to enset pulp in laboratory scale. These starter strains showed fast pH reduction, increased microbial load than control sample and the possibility of a single strain in the fermentation of enset pulps for the production of kocho.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Achi OK. The potential for upgrading traditional fermented foods through biotechnology. Afr. J. Biotechnol. 4: 375–380 (2005)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Birmeta G. Genetic variability and biotechnological studies for the conservation and improvement of Ensete ventricosum. PhD thesis, University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Swedish (2004)

  • Bosha A, Lagibo A, Tana T, Mohammed W, Tesfaye B, Karlsson LM. Nutritional and chemical properties of fermented food of wild and cultivated genotypes of enset (Ensete ventricosum). Food Res. Int. 89: 806–811 (2016)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bourdichon F, Casaregola S, Farrokh C, Frisvad JC, Gerds ML, Hammes WP, Harnett J, Huys G, Laulund S, Ouwehand A, Powell LB, Prajapati JB, Seto Y, Schure ET, Boven AV, Vankerckhoven V, Zgoda A, Tuijtelaars S, Hansen BE. Food fermentations: microorganisms with technological beneficial use. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 154:87–97 (2012)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brandt AS, Anita S, Clifton HJ, Endale T, Mulugeta D, Gizachew W, Gebre Y, Masayoshi S, Shiferaw T. The “Tree against hunger” Enset-based agricultural systems in Ethiopia. American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  • Capozzi V, Fragasso M, Romaniello R, Berbegal C, Russo P, Spano G. Spontaneous food fermentations and potential risks for human health. Fermentation 3: 1–19 (2017)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • CSA. Central Statistical Agency Agricultural Sample Survey. Report on area and production of major crops (Private peasant holding, Meher season). Addis Ababa (2017)

  • Danylec N, Gobl A, Stoll DA, Hetzer B, Kulling SE, Huch M. Rubneribacter badeniensis gen. nov., sp. nov. and Enteroscipio rubneri gen. nov., sp. nov., new members of the Eggerthellaceae isolated from human faeces. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 68: 1533–1540 (2018)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Roos J, De Vuyst L. Acetic acid bacteria in fermented foods and beverages. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 49:115–119 (2018)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edward VA, Huch M, Dortu C, Thonart P, Egounlety M, Van Zyl PJ, Singh S, Holzapfel WH, Franz CMAP. Biomass production and small-scale testing of freeze-dried lactic acid bacteria starter strain for cassava fermentations. Food Control 22: 389–395 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fguiri I, Ziadi M, Rekaya K, Samira A, Khorchani T. Isolation and characterization of lactic acid bacteria strains from raw Camel Milk for Potential Use in the Production of Yogurt. J. Food Sci. Nutr. 3: 1–8 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franz CMAP, Huch M, Mathara JM, Abriouel H, Benomar N, Reid G, Galvez A, Holzapfel WH. African fermented foods and probiotics. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 190: 84–96 (2014)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gashe BA. Kocho fermentation. J. Appl. Bacteriol. 62: 473–477 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holzapfel WH. Appropriate starter culture technologies for small-scale fermentation in developing countries. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 75: 197–212 (2002)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hubalek Z. Protectants used in the cryopreservation of microorganisms. Cryobiology 46: 205–229 (2003)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hunduma T, Ashenafi M. Effect of altitude on microbial succession during traditional enset (Ensete Ventricosum) fermentation. Int. J. Food Nutr. Public Health 4: 39–51 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Konig H, Frohlich J. Lactic Acid Bacteria. In: Biology of Microorganisms on Grapes, in Must and in Wine. König H, Unden G, Fröhlich J (eds). Springer, Berlin (2009)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kostinek M, Specht I, Edward VA, Pinto C, Egounlety M, Sossa C, Mbugua S. Characterisation and biochemical properties of predominant lactic acid bacteria from fermenting cassava for selection as starter cultures. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 114: 342–351 (2007)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kostinek M, Specht I, Edward VA, Schillinger U, Hertel C, Holzapfel WH, Franz CMAP. Diversity and technological properties of predominant lactic acid bacteria from fermented cassava used for the preparation of Gari, a traditional African food. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 28: 527–540 (2005)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis CL, Craig CC, Senecal AG. Mass and density measurements of live and dead gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial populations. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 80: 3622–3631 (2014)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Makarova K, Slesarev A, Wolf Y, Sorokin A, Mirkin B, Koonin E, Pavlov A, Pavlova N, Karamychev V, Polouchine N, Shakhova V, Grigoriev I, Lou Y, Mills D. Comparative genomics of the lactic acid bacteria. PNAS 103: 15611–15616 (2006)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marroki A, Zúñiga M, Kihal M, Pérez- Martínez G. Characterization of Lactobacillus from Algerian goat’s milk based on phenotypic, 16S rDNA sequencing and their technological properties. Braz. J. Microbiol. 42: 158–171 (2011)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mckellar RC, Knight K. A combined discrete-continuous model describing the lag phase of Listeria monocytogenes. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 54: 171–180 (2000)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Minaleshewa A, Chandravanshi BS. Levels of major, minor and trace elements in commercially available enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.), Cheesman) food products (Kocho and Bulla) in Ethiopia. J. Food Compost. Anal. 21: 545–552 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montet D, Ray RC, Zakhia-Rozis N. Lactic acid fermentation of vegetables and fruits. pp. 108–141. In: Microorganisms and Fermentation of Traditional Foods. Montet D, Ray RC (eds). CRC Press Taylor, Boca Raton (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  • Papalexandratou Z, Lefeber T, Bahrim B, Lee OS, Daniel Hm, De Vuyst L. Hanseniaspora opuntiae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Acetobacter pasteurianus predominate during well-performed Malaysian cocoa bean box fermentations, underlining the importance of these microbial species for a successful cocoa bean fermentation process. Food Microbiol. 35: 73–85 (2013)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parthuisot N, Catala P, Lebaron P, Clermont D, Bizet C. A sensitive and rapid method to determine the viability of freeze-dried bacterial cells. Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 36:412–417 (2003)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ruiz P, Seseña S, Llanos M. A comparative study of different PCR-based DNA fingerprinting techniques for typing of lactic acid bacteria. Eur. Food Res. Technol. 239: 87–98 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schleifer K, Ehrmann M, Beimfohr C, Brockmann E, Ludwig W, Amann R. Application of molecular methods for the classification and identification of lactic acid bacteria. Int. Dairy J. 5: 1081–1094 (1995)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Senait Z, Kelbessa U, Ayele N. Co-fermentation of kocho with barley for an improved injera. Ethiopia J. Sci. 20:261–270 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinkraus KH. Fermentations in world food processing. Compr. Rev. Food Sci F. 1: 23–32 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki K, Funahashi W, Koyanagi M, Yamashita H. Lactobacillus paracollinoides sp. nov., isolated from brewery environments. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 54: 115–117 (2004)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yemataw Z, Mohamed H, Diro M, Addis T, Blomme G. Enset (Ensete ventricosum) clone selection by farmers and their cultural practices in southern Ethiopia. Genet. Resour. Crop Evol. 61: 1091–1104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-014-0093-6 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yousif NMK, Huch M, Schuster T, Cho G, Dirar HA, Holzapfel WH, Franz CMAP. Diversity of lactic acid bacteria from Hussuwa, a traditional African fermented sorghum food. Food Microbiol. 27:757–768 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Melanie Huch and Dominic Stoll for their supervision in the microbiological study, and Luisa Martinez-Postigo and Lilia Rudolf, for excellent technical assistance.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical and Bioengineering, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 385, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Helen Weldemichael Weldeselassie & Shimelis Admassu Emire

  2. Ethiopian Agricultural Research Council Secretariat, P.O. Box 8115, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Melaku Alemu

Authors
  1. Helen Weldemichael Weldeselassie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shimelis Admassu Emire
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Melaku Alemu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helen Weldemichael Weldeselassie.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 532 kb)

Appendix

Appendix

The percentage survival of the strain after the freeze-drying process was calculated as:

$${\text{Survival}}\,\left( \% \right) = {\text{N}}/{\text{N}}_{0} \times \, 100$$

where N = viable cell count after freeze-drying; N0 = viable cell count before freeze drying.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Weldemichael Weldeselassie, H., Admassu Emire, S. & Alemu, M. Selection and characterisation of the predominant Lactobacillus species as a starter culture in the preparation of kocho, fermented food from enset. Food Sci Biotechnol 28, 1125–1134 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-019-00555-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-019-00555-2

Keywords

  • Enset
  • Kocho
  • Starter strain
  • Lactobacillus plantarum
  • Lactobacillus brevis