ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIA AND FUNGI FROM STORED WET AND DRY PAP, IN LAFIA NASARWA STATE

Isolation, characterization and Identification of Bacteria and Fungi from stored wet and dry pap in Lafia, Nasarawa State. The research aimed at isolation, characterization and identification of bacteria and fungi species from stored wet and dry pap. The specific objectives of the study are to isolate bacteria and fungi species from stored wet and dry pap, using standard microbiological techniques to identify bacteria and fungi isolates which were characterized by biochemical tests. With the aid of techniques which include serial dilution, pour plate method, gram staining, colony counting, Resulting a total of ten (10) organisms isolated and identified from the sample which include: Aspergillus Specie, Rhizopus Specie, Saccharomyces Specie, Candida Specie, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas Specie, Lactobacillus specie and Staphylococcus aureus. The study showed that improper storage of pap (keeping ogi without changing the water daily or refrigerating) and storing ogi for long periods (5 days) at room temperature will increase the flora of microorganisms, thereby leading to the production of odd odours and taste, shelf-life reduction, unfit for consumption. Therefore pap should be properly stored, it should not be kept for long periods and the water used to facilitate fermentation should be changed on a daily basis.