MICROBIAL PROFILING AND NUTRITIONAL CONTENTS OF Parkia biglobosa and Pentaclethra macrophylla IN OTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Pentaclethra macrophylla and Parkia biglobosa are Nigerian food condiments produced by natural inoculation, enhanced by environmental microflora, thus resulting in competitive adaptation and activities of autochthonous, spoilage, and pathogenic microorganisms. Consequently, the condiments produced lack consistency in terms of quality attributes, safety, and organoleptic properties. Efforts at large-scale production and commercialization of these condiments necessitate the development of a controlled fermentation system, using appropriate starter cultures that can initiate fermentation, dominate the process, and rapidly ferment the substrate. The aim of this study was to determine the microbial diversity and nutritional contents of these selected fermented condiments in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. The microbial diversity and nutritional profile of the fermented P. biglobosa and P. macrophylla were determined using standard procedures. The morphological and biochemical characterization of isolates showed members of the genera of Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Micrococcus sp., Proteus sp., Aspergillus sp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Molecular characterization of the probiotics bacillus isolates confirmed Bacillus subtilis BD_1492R, Bacillus pumilus strain CBs9, Bacillus subtilis strain B5, Bacillus subtilis strain AN5 16S. The proximate composition of the controlled fermented P. macrophylla seeds using safe, and probiotic Bacillus strains as a starter culture, was protein (25.4 %±0.01), ash (4.03 %±0.02), crude fibre (15.15 %±0.02) and carbohydrate (8.06 %±0.01), which was higher than the values from the naturally fermented condiment which are; 35.85 %±0.01, 0.56 %%±0.01, 20.05 %±0.01, and 15.04 %±0.03 respectively. While P. biglobosa had higher moisture (41.4 %±0.15), ash (2.04 %±0.01), protein (21.04 %±0.02) and fat (17.54 %±0.01), but with lower crude fibre (4.08%±0.01) and carbohydrate (13.9 %±0.06) content when compared to the value of the traditionally fermented samples which is; 4.08 %±0.01 and 13.9 %±0.06 respectively. The laboratory-controlled fermented samples had better nutritional content when compared to the traditional samples; therefore, the probiotic Bacillus strains isolated from the selected condiment samples can be used as a starter culture for the controlled fermentation of P. Biglobosa and P. macrophylla