Isolation and Characterization of Acetic Acid Bacteria from Orange and Watermelon Peel Wastes in Ilorin, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.83080/rejost.vol6no9.351Keywords:
Acetic acid bacteria, Fruit peel waste, Orange, Watermelon, Acetobacter aceti, Gluconobacter oxydansAbstract
Fruit peel wastes may serve as inexpensive sources of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) for biotechnological applications. This study investigated the isolation and characterization of AAB from orange (Citrus sinensis) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) peels obtained from Ipata Market, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. The samples were subjected to enrichment and serial dilution, followed by isolation on Glucose Yeast Calcium Carbonate Agar (GYC). Presumptive isolates were characterized using cultural, morphological and biochemical tests and screened for oxidizing activity on Carr’s medium. Total heterotrophic bacterial counts were 1.60 ± 0.20 ×10⁵ CFU/g for watermelon peel and 1.50 ± 0.30 × 10⁵ CFU/g for orange peel, while presumptive AAB counts were 2.20 ± 0.20 × 10³ and 4.80 ±1.40 × 10² CFU/g, respectively. Two presumptive AAB isolates were recovered. Based on phenotypic and biochemical characteristics, the isolates were assigned to Acetobacter sp. and Gluconobacter sp. 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified representative isolates as Acetobacter aceti and Gluconobacter oxydans. The findings demonstrate that orange and watermelon peels harbour AAB and may serve as accessible sources of potentially useful strains for further investigation of acetic acid fermentation and other biotechnological applications.
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