Microbiological changes in mawè during natural fermentation.

Lactic acid bacteria increased from 3.2 × 10(6) and 1.6 × 10(7) c.f.u./g (wet wt) to 2 × 10(9) and 1.6 × 10(9) c.f.u./g after 12 to 24 h of fermentation of home-produced mawè (a dough produced from dehulled maize) and commercial mawè, respectively. In commercial mawè, the yeast count increased from 1.3 × 10(5) to 2.5 × 10(7) c.f.u./g after 48 h of fermentation before decreasing, whereas in the home-produced mawè it increased from 2.5 × 10(4) to 3.2 × 10(7) c.f.u./g after 72 h of fermentation; the dominant yeasts were mainly Candida krusei, although C. kefyr, C. glabrata and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were also present. Enterobacteriaceae counts increased slightly during the initial stage ofthe fermentation, but decreased below the detection level after 24 to 48 h. Enterobacter cloacae was mostly found in commercial mawè and Escherichia coli mostly in homeproduced mawè.