Isolation and characterization of the mycofloral diversity in traditional assamese alcoholic fermentation from India

Different communities in the state of Assam produces particular fermented and non-fermented products like rice beer, sweets and snacks etc. using rice as a substrate. Traditionally, important alcoholic beverages harbour a myriad of microbes including contaminants. The starter culture is made of rice and herbal combinations and believed to act as inoculants for brewing.

Seven districts of Assam viz., Jorhat, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Majuli and Karbi Anglong were surveyed and starter culture samples were collected during 2019-20. Yeasts and fungal isolates were isolated on culture media and systematically studied to identify by both morphological and molecular means. Study was carried out at Department of Plant Pathology, Assam Agricultural University.

Sixteen yeast isolates and two filamentous fungi from rice beer and starter cultures were isolated. Morphological and molecular identification of the isolates revealed that they belong to four different genera and five species of filamentours saccharifying agents Aspergillus oryzae and A. niger and yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera and Candida tropicalis.