Identification and characteristics of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Masai fermented milk in northern Tanzania

Microorganisms were isolated from fermented milk manufactured by Masai men in northern Tanzania. The lactic acid bacteria isolated were identified as Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis, Lactococcus garvieae, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus bovis, Lactobacillus confusus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus viridescens. The dominant strains were Lc. lactis ssp. lactis and Lb. confusus. Yeasts identified as Saccharomyces sp. and Candida sp. were isolated from several samples as minor strains.The binding ability of 21 strains of lactic acid bacteria to amino acid pyrolysates was investigated. 3-Amino-1,4-dimethyl-4H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1), 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), and 1-methyl-9H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Harmane) were bound to cells of all bacterial species.The growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in the cultured milk was inhibited by Lc. lactis ssp. lactis and Lb. confusus.