Yeast flora of NIFOR palm sap

Abstract

Seventeen strains of yeast were isolated from samples of fresh (time zero to bottling time) and 72 h-fermented palm sap obtained from Elaeis guineensis Jacq. and from Raphina hookeri Mann and Wendl. The yeasts belonged to three genera, Saccharomyces (13 strains), Canadia (two strains) and Pichia (two strains). An average plate count (APC) of 225 × 107 ml-1 in fresh Elaeis palm sap, and 105 × 107 ml-1 in Raphia plam sap was obtained within 24 h of tapping. The APC of 72 h-fermented Elaeis palm sap was 279 × 107 ml-1 and that for fermented Raphia palm sap was 132 × 107 ml-1.