Metagenomic analysis of the bacterial microbiota linked to the traditional Algerian date product BBtana^

In this study, using high throughput Bpyrosequencing,^ we highlighted the bacterial diversity of the traditional Algerian date product BBtana^ that is produced in southern Algeria using both direct (DBM) and indirect (UBM) methods. Metagenomic analysis yielded a total of 103,379 reads, with a 606 total operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected. Firmicutes represented 84.79 % of the total pyrosequencing reads. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Bacillales represented 90.20 % ± 15.12 % of the total reads. Among the phylotypes detected, Bacillus was the dominant genus (39.53 %). While Bacillus megaterium was shared among all of the samples, its distribution varied widely. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) analysis showed that UBM samples clustered together, and three main OTUs were found in these UBM samples: Paenibacillus polymyxa, Paenibacillus xylanexedens, and Planomicrobium JN082684. Correlation analysis showed no association between parameters of the samples (age, pH, water activity) and the specific microbiota.