ABSTRACT

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the main group of microorganisms that are responsible for the production of fermented products with a great economic importance. This study was done to characterize and identification of lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented tiger nut milk. The objectives were to isolate lactic acid bacteria from fermented tiger nut milk, characterize and identify lactic acid bacteria using morphological, physiological and biochemical techniques and to access the technological potentials of lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented tiger nut milk. The result of the analysis showed that L.brevis 1.32 x 105 was highest at pH 4.0 while L.bugaricus was low at pH 6.5, the results of bile salt tolerance showed that L.mesenteriodes 1.22 x 105  was high at 0.3% bile salt concentration while L. helveticus 0.8 x 105 was low at 0%. It was proven that tiger nut milk contained both homofermentative and hetrofermentative lactic acid bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria also produce exopolysaccharides which are essential as texture formation. It is therefore recommended that lactic acid bacteria also produce exopolysaccharides which are essential as texture formation. Considering the existing reports on several health-promoting properties as well as their generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status of LAB, they can be widely used in the developing of new fermented milk products.