MICROBIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF TWO NIGERIAN FERMENTED ALCOHOLIC DRINKS (PALMWINE AND BURUKUTU) IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA. (Published)
Palm wine samples were collected from five (5) different towns in Ekiti State while burukutu were also collected from three different towns in Ekiti State. The pH of the palm wine ranged from 4.49 in sample PWB (Are- Ekiti) to 5.23 in PWD (Ikere-Ekiti). In the chemical analysis, total alkalinity ranged from 0.03% in PWA (Ado-Ekiti), PWD and PWE (Ikole-Ekiti) to 0.06 in PWB. Total solids ranged from 10.670 Brix in PWA to 16.57 in sample PWC (Ifaki-Ekiti). Total reducing sugar ranged from 10.81% in sample PWA to 18.94% in PWC while protein ranged from 0.31mg/l in PWE to 0.34mg/l in PWB and PWC. In the total bacteria count (TBC), it ranged from 0.9 X 105 cfu/ml in PWC to 2.3 X 105 cfu/ml in PWA. TBC in burukutu has the highest value of 8 in sample BK (Ado -Ekiti) and lowest of 4.9 in sample BM (Ikere-Ekiti). Total yeast count, ranged from 1 in PWB to 6 in PWD. For the burukutu sample, it ranged from 4 in sample BL (Ikole-Ekiti) to 88 in BK. In all, 2.9 x 10 microorganisms were isolated from the palm wine samples with 1.2 x 10 yeast cells and 1.7 x 10 bacteria cells. From the microbial load on the samples, 5 bacteria genera were isolated. Consumption of these alcoholic beverages are therefore not safe, as contaminants have been observed in the drinks and these contaminants and pathogens are dangerous as consumption can result to health hazard
Keywords: Alcoholic Beverages, Bacteria, Burukutu, Palmwine, Yeast