Bacterial populations associated with a sorghum-based fermented weaning cereal

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology Vol. 49; no. 1; pp. 75 - 83
• Main Authors: Kunene, N.F., Hastings, J.W., von Holy, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-08-1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aeromonas - isolation & purification; ALIMENT POUR NOURRISSON; ALIMENTOS PARA NINOS; B. cereus; BACILLUS CEREUS; Bacillus cereus - isolation & purification; Biological and medical sciences; Campylobacter - isolation & purification; CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS; Clostridium perfringens - isolation & purification; Edible Grain - microbiology; ESCHERICHIA COLI; Escherichia coli - isolation & purification; Escherichia coli O157 - isolation & purification; Feeding. Feeding behavior; FERMENTACION; FERMENTATION; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; INFANT FOODS; LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES; Listeria monocytogenes - isolation & purification; Safety; Salmonella - isolation & purification; Shigella - isolation & purification; SORGHUM; South Africa; Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Weaning; Weaning food; South Africa(Republic); Africa; South Africa; B. cereus; Sorghum; Weaning food; Safety; Fermentation; Monocotyledones; Weaning; Bacillaceae; Fermented product; Bacillus cereus; Bacillales; Gramineae; Infant food; Food security; Angiospermae; Bacteria; Spermatophyta; Biological contamination; Microbial community
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-1605(99)00062-8

Microbiological surveys, to determine the quality and safety, were conducted on 45 sorghum samples comprising dry powders (
n=15) and corresponding fermented (
n=15) and cooked fermented porridge (
n=15) samples collected from households in an informal settlement of the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Mean aerobic plate counts, Gram-negative counts and bacterial spore counts of sorghum powder samples decreased in fermented and cooked fermented porridge samples. However, mean lactic acid bacteria counts increased in fermented porridge samples, but decreased slightly in cooked fermented porridge samples. The mean pH value of sorghum powder samples decreased in fermented and cooked fermented porridge, respectively.
Bacillus (B.) cereus was detected in all 15 sorghum powder samples, while
Escherichia (E.) coli was detected in 53%,
Clostridium perfringens in 27%,
Listeria monocytogenes in 13% and
Aeromonas spp.,
Salmonella spp.,
Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella spp. and
Yersinia spp., each in 7% of sorghum powder samples. Of the fermented porridge samples, 40% contained
B. cereus and 7% contained
E. coli. None of the pathogens tested for were detected in cooked fermented porridge samples.
B. cereus (53%),
B. subtilis (21%),
B. thuringiensis (13%),
B. licheniformis (10%) and
B. coagulans (3%) were identified from 120 isolates randomly selected from spore count plates of the highest dilution showing growth.