Isolation and characterization of new amylolytic strains of Lactobacillus fermentum from fermented maize doughs (mawe and ogi) from Benin

Twelve amylolytic heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria were isolated in Benin from the fermentation processes of maize sour dough, namely ogi and mawe. Discrimination of strains was performed by: DNA restriction patterns and compared with carbohydrate fermentation profiles. This allowed two nets amylolytic strains, Ogi El and Mw2, belonging to the species Lactobacillus fermentum, to be distinguished. Strains Ogi El and Mw2 presented different amylolytic activities; amylase from strain Mw2 was more acidophilic and mesophilic than amylase produced by strain Ogi El.