Microbiological quality of ogi and soy-ogi (a Nigerian fermented cereal porridge) widely consumed and notable weaning food in southern Nigeria

Author: N. A. Amusa ^*, O. A. Ashaye and M. O. Oladapo

Received 22 December 2004, accepted 27 March 2005.

Abstract

The microbiological quality of freshly processed and hawked ogi and soy-ogi was investigated at Ibadan, Nigeria. The maize and soybean seeds used were found to harbour Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. tamarii, Penicillium oxalicum, Macrophomina phaseolina, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizopus sp. The wet milled ogi and soy-ogi processed using well water and commercial milling machine harboured Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Lactobacillus lactis, L. fermenter, Streptococcus pyogenes, S. lactis, Escherichia coli, A. niger, Rhizopus spp. and P. oxalicum. The wet milled ogi processed with tap water (treated water) and milled under laboratory conditions harboured Lactobacillus lactis, L. fermenter and S. lactis. After drying however, B. cereus and B. subtilis were the bacterial isolates found associated with dried ogi and soy-ogi processed with well water and commercial milling machine and that of ogi samples obtained from the hawkers. The fungi found associated with the dried ogi and soy-ogi samples were A. niger, Rhizopus spp., A. flavus and Penicillium spp.