Abstract:
Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a frequent cause of STEC-related infections
such as diarrhoea. Fermentation by presumptive probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum strain B411 isolated
from cereal fermentation was investigated to prevent the growth of acid-adapted (AA) and non-acidadapted (NAA) non-O157 STEC in traditionally fermented maize gruel, a widely used complementary
food in Africa. L. plantarum strain B411 possessed probiotic characteristics and antimicrobial activity
against selected pathogenic bacteria. Growth of AA and NAA non-O157 STEC strains was substantially
inhibited by 3.6 and 4.8 log reductions, respectively, in the maize gruel fermented with the L. plantarum
B411, while their growth was only inhibited by 1.0 and 1.2 log reductions, respectively, by traditional
fermentation alone. Inclusion of fermentative strains of L. plantarum exhibiting probiotic activity is a
feasible method to ensure safety of traditionally fermented African cereal porridges through inhibition of
non-O157 STEC.
