Phylogenetic analyses of bacteria associated with the processing of iru and ogiri condiments.

Iru and ogiri are important condiments used for flavour enhancement in foods and serve as protein substitutes in diets among rural populations across West Africa. Consumption of these condiments is growing, reinforcing the need to scale up their production. Production of these condiments includes spontaneous fermentation, which often leads to inconsistent product quality and unguaranteed safety. This study has demonstrated the bacterial succession in iru and ogiri processing and highlights species that could be selected and exploited for starter culture development. This study provides a starting point to produce quality and microbiologically safe iru and ogiri condiments.