Title: Yeasts and lactic acid bacteria coffee fermentation starter cultures

Authors: Godwin A. Massawe, Sarah J. Lifa

Addresses: Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization (TIRDO), P.O. Box 23235, DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania. ' Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization (TIRDO), P.O. Box 23235, DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

Abstract: Six yeast strains that included; three Pichia anomala (P.aS12, P.aS14, P.aS16) and three Pichia kluyveri (PS7Y1, PkS4Y3, PkS13Y4); lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that included six strains identified as Leuconostoc/Weissella (BFE 6997, 6989), Homofermentative Lactobacillus spp. (BFE 6853, 6823), Lactobacillus spp. Heterofermentative (BFE 6812) and Enterococcus (BFE 6803) were used as starter cultures in coffee fermentation against two strains of A. ochraceus (B677 and B722) with the potential to produce ochratoxin A (OTA). Interaction studies between yeasts, LAB and moulds were done previously. Observation showed the counts of LAB in most fermentation trials were relatively higher than yeasts and there was no growth of mould after fermentation and drying periods. Also pH value after 72 h of fermentation for all cultured coffee reached around 4.2 which was the case for the control coffee sample. This paper highlights the findings that revealed the two predominant yeasts in wet coffee processing P. anomala and P. kluyveri in combination with selected strains of LAB could be used as biocontrol agents against A. ochraceus.

Keywords: starter culture; quality; cultures; Pichia anomala; Pichia kluyveri; Leuconostoc/Weissella; Homofermentative Lactobacillus spp.; biocontrol agents; Heterofermentative Lactobacillus spp.; Enterococcus; Aspergillus ochraceous; coffee fermentation; A. ochraceus; yeasts; lactic acid bacteria.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2010.038187

International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 2010 Vol.2 No.1, pp.41 - 82

Published online: 21 Jan 2011 *

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