Molecular Characterization of Fermenting Yeast Species from Fermented Teff Dough during Preparation of Injera Using ITS DNA Sequence

Identifcation of the yeast responsible for Injera fermentation is important in order to be more consistent and for scale-up of Injera production. In this study, yeast were isolated and identifed from fermenting tef dough sample collected from household, hotels, and microenterprises, Addis Ababa. Initially, the yeast obtained from fermenting tef dough of diferent sources were selected on the basis of their CO2 production potentials. Its DNA sequencing of isolated yeast identifed Pichia fermentans, Pichia occidentalis, Candida humilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Kazachstania bulderi. Te association of identifed yeast to their sources indicated the presence of Pichia fermentans in fermenting dough samples collected from all sources whereas Kazachstania bulderi, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida humilis were shown to be present in samples collected from households, hotels, and microenterprises, respectively. Te phenotypes and CO2 production potentials of this yeast were also documented. Tis study has confrmed the presence of diferent yeast species in the fermentation of tef dough and hinted the complex nature of Injera dough fermentation.