Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional and physiological properties of Bacillus species isolated from iru, which can be developed as autochthonous starter cultures for the production of safe, consistent and optimized condiments in West Africa.
Methods: Bacterial strains isolated from 20 iru samples were characterized genotypically, including sequencing of almost complete 16S rRNA genes of representative strains. These strains were tested for functional and physiological parameters, which include antimicrobial production potential, sugar fermentation profile using API kit, anaerobic growth, starch, protein and lipid hydrolysis and substrate adaptability.
Results: The bacterial strains were identified as close relatives of B. subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. cereus, B. licheniformis, B. pumilus and Brevibacillus formosus based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Combined gel fingerprints of genotypic techniques used revealed B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens as dominant species. The dominant Bacillus strains were able to produce antimicrobial compounds, presumably bacteriocin that inhibits pathogenic Escherichia coli ATCC 11229 (8.00 ± 2.83 mm), B. cereus MTCC 430 (3.67 ± 1.86 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 11632 (4.00 ± 0.01 mm), grew anaerobically, produced amylase, protease and lipase enzymes and adapted to locust bean substrate.
Significance: The data generated from this study will support the development of Bacillus strains as starter cultures that can be adapted in the fermentation process to produce optimized condiments with desirable functional attributes (bio preservative) that will solve the problem of food safety in W. Africa.