Traditional and Artisanal Beverages in Nigeria: Microbial Diversity and Safety Issues

Abstract

A review of up to 90 articles on the microorganisms associated with important artisanal or traditional beverages in Nigeria was carried out. This resulted in an overview of the prevalent microorganisms associated with soymilk, nono (fermented cow milk), tiger nut milk, yoghurt, kunu, zobo, palm wine and the local beers pito and brukutu. The bacteria genera, namely Bacillus, Escherichia, Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus, were detected in all nine beverages. On the contrary, this survey resulted in finding that the genera Saccharomyces, Aspergillus, Candida, and Penicillium were the eukaryotic microorganisms isolated in all beverages. The occurrence of fungal isolates, which can be responsible for producing mycotoxins, is a concern and shows the need for post-production tests. Overall, there is a low prevalence of bacteria associated with hygiene, especially the Escherichia genus in alcoholic beverages such as palm wine, pito and burukutu, which may be due both to a low acidity and high ethanol content. However, the prevalence of hygiene indicator genera was higher in nonalcoholic drinks, probably because of incorrect practices during processing. The magnitude of the production and sales of unregulated local beverages in Nigeria has reached the stage where significant regulation and food safety standards are required to safeguard public health. An opportunity exists to monitor and characterize the microbial flora of the artisanal beverages using molecular methods at all stages of production and storage.

Lactic acid bacterial bacteriocins and their bioactive properties against food-associated antibiotic-resistant bacteria

“…They are also found in meat, fermented products, fermented vegetables, and beverages (Gomez-Gallego et al, 2016;Bello et al 2016). They are also readily available in local food condiments such as fufu, gari, kunu, nono, and ogi commonly consumed in Nigeria and some African countries (Nwaiwu et al 2020). Fufu is a solid meal of soaked fermented cassava roots while gari is a granular starchy food made from the bitter variety of cassava root.…”

Probiotic therapy, African fermented foods and food-derived bioactive peptides in the management of SARS-CoV-2 cases and other viral infections

“…Some scholars have expressed reservations regarding the safety of indigenous fermented foods, given that in most case scenarios, these foods are produced with limited knowledge of good handling practices and poor sanitary measures [224] . As a result, there is a good chance of contamination with food-borne pathogens, which could constitute a health risk to consumers [225] .…”

Consumer perception and willingness to pay for packaged asaana: a traditional drink in Ghana

“…Globally, attempts are made by governments to use local raw materials and traditional methods to ensure self-sufficiency in food production and improvement in the general wellbeing of people. Efforts are made to promote the growth of value-added production in order to boost competitiveness and profitability (Nwaiwu et al, 2020;European Union, 2014). One of the avenues to achieve this goal is to encourage the production of high-quality goods like traditional beverages, which are products made using traditional methods and recognized for their unique sensory characteristics and connection to a specific region or area.…”