Abstract
Masa Agria is a naturally fermented maize dough produced in Colombia, very common in the traditional gastronomy. In this study we used culture-dependent and RNA-based pyrosequencing to investigate the bacterial community structure of Masa Agria samples produced in the south west of Colombia. The mean value of cell density was 7.6 log CFU/g of presumptive lactic acid bacteria, 5.4 log cfu/g for presumptive acetic bacteria and 5.6 og CFU/g for yeasts. The abundance of these microorganisms is also responsible for the low pH (3.1–3.7) registered. Although the 16S rRNA pyrosequencing revealed that the analyzed samples were different in bacteria richness and diversity, the genera Lactobacillus, Weissella, and Acetobacter were predominant. In particular, the most common species were Lactobacillus plantarum and Acetobacter fabarum, followed by L. fermentum, L. vaccinostercus, and Pediococcus argentinicus. Several microorganisms of environmental origin, such as Dechloromonas and most of all Sphingobium spp., revealed in each sample, were detected, and also bacteria related to maize, such as Phytoplasma. In conclusion, our results elucidated for the first time the structures of the bacterial communities of Masa Agria samples obtained from different producers, identifying the specific dominant species and revealing a complete picture of the bacterial consortium in this specific niche. The selective pressure of tropical environments may favor microbial biodiversity characterized by a useful technological potential.
Highlights
Maize or corn (Zea mays), the “gift of the goddess” of the ancient Amerindians, is a cereal crop that is produced in a wide range of agro-ecological environments worldwide
Masa Agria is a very common product in Colombian gastronomy, as it is commonly used to prepare soups, tamales, empanadas, carantanta and envueltos
The data here presented provide a detailed insight of the bacterial profile of this product, as in our knowledge this is the first report of the bacterial community and structure of this Colombian fermented dough
Summary
Maize or corn (Zea mays), the “gift of the goddess” of the ancient Amerindians, is a cereal crop that is produced in a wide range of agro-ecological environments worldwide. Since pre-Hispanic times, fermented products from maize have been consumed widely in Colombia (Chaves-López et al, 2014a), where their manufacturing remains a traditional art in houses, villages, and small-scale industries. In the traditional method of preparation, described by Chaves-López et al (2014a), yellow maize kernels are peeled, covered with water, and stored in a hot place (35 to 40◦C) to favor spontaneous fermentation. The grains are washed with water, drained and milled, and a dough is formed and allowed to stand for 3 or 5 days. During this period, dehydration occurs, and aw is reduced at different levels depending on the producers. Masa Agria is a very common product in Colombian gastronomy, as it is commonly used to prepare soups, tamales (dough filled with meat and vegetables and cooked in a banana leaf), empanadas (cooked dough filled with meat and potatoes and fried), carantanta (the leftover material in the bottom of the pot that is peeled off after cooked Masa Agria for empanadas) and envueltos (dough steamed in a corn husk)
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