Growth of yeasts, lactic and acetic acid bacteria in palm wine during tapping and fermentation from felled oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) in Ghana.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the microbiological and biochemical changes which occur in palm wine during the tapping of felled oil palm trees.


RESULTS
Microbiological and biochemical contents of palm wine were determined during the tapping of felled oil palm trees for 5 weeks and also during the storage. Saccharomyces cerevisiae dominated the yeast biota and was the only species isolated in the mature samples. Lactobacillus plantarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were the dominated lactic acid bacteria, whilst acetic acid bacteria were isolated only after the third day when levels of alcohol had become substantial. The pH, lactic and acetic acid concentrations during the tapping were among 3.5-4.0%, 0.1-0.3% and 0.2-0.4% respectively, whilst the alcohol contents of samples collected within the day were between 1.4% and 2.82%; palm wine which had accumulated over night, 3.24% to 4.75%; and palm wine held for 24 h, over 7.0%.


CONCLUSIONS
Accumulation of alcohol in palm wine occurs in three stages during the tapping and marketing with the concurrent lactic and acetic acid fermentation taking place as well.


CONCLUSIONS
Yeasts, lactic and acetic acid bacteria are all important in the fermentation of palm wine and influence the composition of the product.
Amoa-Awua
W K
WK
Food Research Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana. wamoa@frighana.org
Sampson
E
E
Tano-Debrah
K
K
D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D000383:Agriculture; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005285:Fermentation; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005869:Ghana; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007934:Leuconostoc / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D000073878:Palm Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors; D014920:Wine / Q000382:microbiology*
D010938:Plant Oils; D019344:Lactic Acid; D000073878:Palm Oil; D019342:Acetic Acid