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Microbial Dynamics and Nutritional Status of Namsing: A Traditional Fermented Fish Product of Mishing Community of Assam

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study reports on the microbial dynamics and the accompanied nutritional changes during the fermentation process of Namsing. Fermentation of fish during Namsing preparation revealed a significant increase in mineral content with the passage of fermentation time. Changes in microbial dynamics such as mesophilic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Enterobacteriaceae were monitored during the indigenous fermentation process. The mesophilic bacterial count of Namsing was 3.44 log CFU/g on the first day which increased to 8.2 log CFU/g on the 7th day and decreased gradually to 3.36 log CFU/g on the 28th day of fermentation. Yeasts and moulds were not detected during the fermentation period. Lactic acid bacteria were not detected until the 21st day. However on the 28th day, the lactic acid bacteria were recorded in the range of 1–2 log CFU/g. Coliform or other gram-negative bacteria were detected in the range of 2–2.8 log CFU/g till the end of fermentation. A total of 27 isolates were selected for further study based on their colony morphology and identified through biochemical and molecular analysis. The isolates belonged to the genus Bacillus (40.7%), Lactobacillus (7.4%), Kurthia (14.8%), Providencia (11%), Wohlfahrtiimonas (7.4%), Paenibacillus (3%), Staphylococcus (3%) Klebsiella (7.4%) and Vagococcus (3%). Among the 27 isolates, 11 isolates were further screened quantitatively for protease activity and using casein as substrate. The highest protease activity (15.60 ± 0.31 units/mL) was shown by the isolate Kurthia gibsonii (N11).

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and DBT-AAU center, Assam Agricultural University (AAU) for providing the necessary facilities to carry out the present work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-13, India

    Naimisha Chowdhury, Gunajit Goswami, Smita Hazarika & Madhumita Barooah

  2. Biswanath College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Biswanath Chariali, Assam, 784176, India

    Sushanta Sharma Pathak

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  1. Naimisha Chowdhury
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  2. Gunajit Goswami
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Correspondence to Madhumita Barooah.

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Chowdhury, N., Goswami, G., Hazarika, S. et al. Microbial Dynamics and Nutritional Status of Namsing: A Traditional Fermented Fish Product of Mishing Community of Assam. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 89, 1027–1038 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-018-1022-9

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