Culture-independent quantification of physiologically-active microbial groups in fermented foods using rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes : application to pozol, a Mexican lactic acid fermented maize dough

Nine phylogenetic oligonucleotide probes were used to describe at the genus level the microbial community responsible for the spontaneous fermentation of maize, leading to the reproduction of Mexican pozol. Ribosomal RNAs of specific groupds and genera, in particular, lactic acid bacteria, were quantified using a culture-independent approach. In the early stage of the fermentation, #Lactococcus$ and #Leuconostoc$ appeared to be the dominant genera. A contrario, these represented minor genera at the end of the fermentation when #Lactobacillus$ dominated the process. In addition, eukaryotes seemed to play a significant role throughout the fermentation and enterobacteria could be detected by this method. (Résumé d'auteur)