 Corresponding author: Okafor CA Copyright © 2023 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0. Invertase activities of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional fermented milk (“nono”), agadagidi and palm wine obtained from different locations in Ile-Ife, Osun- State, Nigeria Chimezie Alphonsus Okafor * , Taiwo Stephen Okanlawon, Aminat Mojisola Olagunju, Ebunoluwa Favour Isatoye, Taiwo Roheemat Oni and Stella Mojisola Adeyemo Department of Microbiology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2023, 22(01), 147–156 Publication history: Received on 28 November 2022; revised on 14 January 2023; accepted on 17 January 2023 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2023.22.1.0503 Abstract This study was aimed at the isolation and identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) from fermented drinks and assaying for invertase enzyme produced by the bacteria. Fresh samples were collected from different sellers and locations in Ile-Ife and lactic acid bacteria were isolated from the samples using De Man and Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) agar and for the determination of microbial count. Standard morphological and biochemical tests were carried out for the characterization of the organisms. The 3, 5-Dinitrosalisylic Acid (DNSA) method was used to determine the enzyme concentration. A total of 36 Lactic acid bacteria were isolated. The mean microbial loads of all the isolates ranges from 2.0 x 10 3 cfu/ml to 6 x10 3 cfu/ml from “Nono”, 1.0 × 10 3 cfu/ml to 1.3 × 10 4 cfu/ml from Agadagidi and 7.0×10 3 to 2.0 × 10 5 from Palm wine. They were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus brevis, Pediococcus halophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus casei. The assay for invertase enzyme revealed the presence of the enzyme in Lactobacillus plantarum (0.225mg/ml) from “Nono”, Lactobacillus plantarum (0.75 mg/ml) and Lactobacillus fermentum (0.51 mg/ml) from Palm wine while Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis showed 0.191 mg/ml and 0.248 mg/ml respectively from Agadagidi. This study showed the enzymatic activity of invertase in LAB that are present in the fermented drinks and are essential for numerous health benefits. Keywords: Invertase activity; Fermented products; Lactic acid bacteria; Probiotics 1. Introduction Lactic acid bacteria are heterogeneous group of microorganisms; they are gram positive, non-sporing, aero-tolerant, catalase-negative, non-respiring cocci or rods that produce lactic acid as the major end product of carbohydrate fermentation [1]. They are widely employed in the manufacture of fermented food products because of their safe metabolic activity, ability to improve the sensory and rheological properties of food materials, ability to decrease the pH of foods, thus inhibiting the growth of spoilage microorganisms [2, 3]. Lactic acid bacteria have been classified through various identification tests [4]. The general consensus is that there is a core group made up of four genera and they are; Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Streptococcus, and Lactobacillus. Several new genera have been proposed by recent taxonomic revision and they include; Oenococcus, Tetragenococcus, Lactococcus, Carnobacterium, Alloiococcus, Aerococcus, Enterococcus, Dolosigranulum, Enterococcus, Globicatella, Wiesella and Vagococcus [1]. Invertase, also called beta- fructofuranosidase, is a glycoprotein with an optimum pH of 4.5 and stability at 50 ℃. It is one of the simplest carbohydrases found in nature [5]. Invertase is widely distributed in the biosphere, especially in