## 3 Results and Discussion  
### Variations in Microbial Counts of Fermented Milled \"Ibyer\" Beverage Enhanced with Ginger Powder  
Table 2 shows the microbial counts of fermented millet \"_Ibyer_\" beverage enhanced with ginger powder. Both bacterial and fungi counts significantly differed (_p_ < 0.05) across the blend samples. The control sample (FMF\({}_{100}\)) obtained the highest bacteria (3.40 \(\times\) 10\({}^{4}\) CFU/mL) and fungi (0.45 \(\times\) 10\({}^{1}\) CFU/mL) counts. However, blend sample FMF\({}_{70}\)GP\({}_{30}\) obtained the least bacterial (0.15 \(\times\) 10\({}^{4}\) CFU/mL) and fungi (0.01 \(\times\) 10\({}^{1}\) CFU/mL) counts. Bacterial counts were significantly higher (_p_ < 0.05) than the fungi counts, across all the samples. Between blend samples FMF\({}_{95}\)GP\({}_{5}\) and FMF\({}_{70}\)GP\({}_{30}\), both bacterial and fungi counts decreased with millet quantities, as the ginger powder quantities were increased. This suggested the antimicrobial efficacy of ginger powder, in agreement with the report of [PERSON] et al. [35], who demonstrated ginger's influence to extend the shelf-life of ogi, a Nigerian traditional fermented food. Generally, spices are widely understood to demonstrate some form of antimicrobial activity against microorganisms, like bacteria, yeast, molds, and viruses, which the active compounds like gingerol in ginger might be responsible for [24; 25; 26]. The preservation of fermented millet product could be from the presence of both alkaline acetic acid, and lactic acid [3], as well as its (fermentation) ability to suppress the growth/survival of undesirable microflora [36]. Fractions and extracts obtained from millet grain are believed to show some degree of antimicrobial activity [17]. Protein extracts obtained in pear millet are also believed to slow down the growth of phytopathogenic fungi [37]. Phenolic acids present in millet milled fractions (whole flour, seed coat, 3%, 5%, and 7%) have been shown to possess some antimicrobial capacity against such microbial entities like _Bacillus cereus_ and _Aspergillus flavus_[38]. Variations in Pasting Properties of Fermented millet \"_Ibyer_\" Beverage Enhanced with Ginger Powder  
Table 3 shows the pasting properties of fermented millet \"_Ibyer_\" beverage enhanced with ginger powder. Pasting properties differed significantly (\(p<0.05\)) across all blend samples compared with the control. For instance, the control samples obtained peak breakdown viscosity, which decreased significantly (\(p<0.05\)) in blend samples as the ginger powder increased. Particularly between blend samples FMF\({}_{95}\)GP\({}_{5}\) and FMF\({}_{70}\)GP\({}_{30}\), the ginger powder increased with peak (from 367.10 to 384.00 cP), trough (from 93.50 to 222.00 cP), final (from 273.20 to 652.00 cP), and set back (from 178.00 to 424.00 cP) viscosities, as well as peak time (from 4.79 to 5.69 cP) and pasting temperature (from 78.43 to 88.20 cP). High peak viscosity was associated with starch damage and its binding capacity [39]. Higher water-binding capacity increases gelatinization and lowers swelling property of starch, given the high degree of association between starch granules [40]. Increases in final viscosity in the blend samples is indicative of how the starch forms either a paste or gel after cooling, which becomes less stable with increased breakdown viscosity [41], which might explain why increases in the setback viscosity occurred in the blend samples. Higher setback viscosity suggests the blend samples might undergo some retrogradation during the cooling process [42]. Decreasing breakdown viscosity (from 273.60 to 162.00 cP) might increase the ability of (millet) flours to withstand both heating and shear stress that occurred during processing [43]. Peak time of control sample FMF\({}_{100}\) (4.79 \(\pm\) 0.45 min) and blend sample FMF\({}_{95}\)GP\({}_{5}\) (4.79 \(\pm\) 0.17 min) were similar (\(p>\) 0.05).