ABSTRACT
Microorganisms that perform important roles occur naturally in foods or are introduced as pure cultures during a controlled fermentation process. Their identification using only the phenotypic methods has been found to be insufficient for accurate characterization due to close similarities in species. The combination of culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques for the profiling of the dynamics of microorganisms involved in a food fermentation process is important for the proper utilization in a controlled environment. Traditional African fermented foods comprise a wide array of microorganisms, including Bacillus species and related microorganisms, lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts, involved in the production. Understanding their roles is very imperative to the sustainability and preservation. This chapter illustrates the brief ecology and the diverse molecular techniques employed in the identification of microorganisms obtained from a variety of rich traditional fermented foods matrices. Polyphasic taxonomic techniques were valuable in the identification and extensive understanding of the diversities of microorganisms isolated from different indigenous fermented foods in Africa. The preservation of these arrays of microorganisms for future use in research and development and consistency in quality of foods is advocated for traditional African fermented foods.
