Microbial diversity of sasad. A traditional starter for fermented beverages in Sabah

TLDR: Investigation of the microflora composition in sasad found yeast strains possessed highest enzymatic activity compared to mould and LAB strains, and yeast, mould and lactic acid bacteria present in s asad were identified.

Abstract: This study was carried out to investigate the microflora composition in sasad. The investigations involved were the chemical changes (proximate content and pH) of sasad and microbial enumeration in sasad during storage, identification of yeast, mould and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in sasad and enzymatic activities involved of identified species. Proximate analyses were done using AOAC method. Proximate analyses showed sasad contain (on dry weight basis) moisture ranging from 10.81% to 21.84%; total carbohydrate content ranged from 73.56% to 87.66%; crude fibre ranging from 0.63% to 1.98%, while crude fat contents ranged from 0.15% to 1.28%. Crude protein content ranged from 0.27% to 1.03% and ash content ranged from 0.20% to 0.95%. Sasad is acidic with the pH ranged from 4.03 to 6.30. Throughout storage, total aerobic mesophilic flora, yeast and mould, and LAB counts were 5.40-8.42, 4.38-8.28, and 3.60-8.39 log CFU/g of dry weight sample, respectively. A total of 94 strains comprises of yeast (52 isolates), mould (23 isolates), and LAB (19 isolates) was isolated. The microorganisms isolated were characterized based on their morphology, physiological and biochemical properties. Yeasts were identified as Candida guilliermondii Saccharomyces cerevisiael Candida lusitaniae Pichia ohmeri Candida utilie, Candida pelliculosa, Candida glabratal Candida parapsilosis, and Candida famata. Mould strains were identified to genera level based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics as Mucor sp., Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., and Rhizopus sp. On the other hand, LAB were identified as Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. Yeast strains possessed highest enzymatic activity compared to mould and LAB strains. Leucine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, alkaline phosphatase, I²-glucosidase and esterase lipase are the major enzymes secreted by microorganisms in sasad