Biochemical Properties and Molecular Characterization of Fermented Alcoholic Honey (Muratina) Microbes from Mbeere-Kenya

Abstract

Muratina is an alcoholic beverage (wine) amongst the communities around The Mt. Kenya, obtained from spontaneous fermentation of honey in a gourd with dried Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth.fruits. The wine production is still carried out using traditional technology and has never been scaled up. It serves cultural and social value amongst the communities. The objective of this study was to characterize and document the product process and to evaluate the chemical and microbiological quality of Muratina. The production process involves mixing water and honey in a ration of 17L water to 3Kg honey, then allowing it to ferment in a gourd with pre-cured K.africana fruits for 3-5 days at 30°C after which it is ready. Muratina has an alcohol content of 19.66± 0.47 (mL/100ml), pH of 4.06 ± 0.12 and titratable acidity of 7.57± 0.45 (g tartaric acid/100 mL). Microbiological analysis of Muratina showed aerobic mesophiles at 2.1-5.5 x 103 CFU/mL, LAB at 3.2-7.7 x 104 CFU/mL and yeasts at concentration of 5.6 – 7.0 x 103 CFU/mL. Biochemical analysis of LAB isolates revealed various resistances to ox gal, pH and NaCl indicating their potential use as probiotics. All the isolates tested were able to withstand 3% ox-gal, although none were able to grow at pH 1-3. Identification of LAB was carried out using API 50 CHL and the sequencing of the 16s rRNA while those of yeasts was carried out using API ID 32. The isolates were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactococcus spp and Pediococcus spp. Saccharomyces cereviseae was the major yeast isolated. The high alcohol content of Muratina indicates that it has yeasts that could be of commercial value.