In this study, using high throughput Bpyrosequencing,ŵ e 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.

The study highlights the fungal diversity of the traditional Algerian date's product "Btana" prepared with direct Btana method (DBM) and undirect Btana method (UBM). Btana fungal populations were analyzed through 28S metabarcoding. Data treatment resulted in 122,997 reads representing three Phyla in which 76% reads (46 OTUs) belong to Ascomycota phylum. Zygosaccharomyces rouxii was the most prevailed species accounting for 35.40% of the total population. Similarity percentage analysis revealed a low level of resemblance in species in each of the two Btana types (DBM: 17.26%, UBM: 16.87). According to HPLC analysis, lactate was detected in nine samples within a range of 0.87-23.06 g/100g. Culture plating and subsequent D1/ D2 domain of 28s DNA analysis showed the prevalence of Z. rouxii. Fermentation of non-renewed date medium revealed a high ethanol production (21.31 ± 2.89 g/100g) by Lachancea thermotolerans and 5.87 g/100g of lactates by Kluyveromyces delphensis. Enzymatic assay revealed a high esterase (C4) and naphtol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase activity by L. thermotolerans, K. delphensis, and Pichia subpelliculosa, while a high level of α-fucosidase was recorded for L. thermotolerans and P. subpelliculosa. The current results demonstrated that the traditional date product Btana is a promising source for yeasts useful in production of value-added products like bioethanol and lactic acid using low-income date cultivars.