Indian Traditional Fermented Foods: The Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Abstract

Fermentation technology is an important field comprising the use of microorganisms and enzymes to produce the compounds that have applications in the food, pharmaceutical, energy, and chemical industries. Although food fermentation processes have been used for generations as a prerequisite for sustainable food production, today it has become more demanding to obtain functional and therapeutic food products through the application of continuous creations and advancement of innovative fermentation processes. For these reasons, efforts are directed toward designing new processes, concepts, and technologies. Fermentation is a natural process whereby microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria and yeast convert carbohydrates such as starch and sugar into alcohol or acids, both of these act as a natural preservatives. This process is still used today to produce foods such as wine, cheese, sauerkraut, yogurt, and other types of traditional foods. Traditional fermented foods are popularly consumed and form an integral part of our diet since early history. They are recognized as having multiple benefits related to nutritive values, therapeutic properties, and sensory attributes. In most fermented foods, the fermentation process is predominantly initiated by lactic acid bacteria. These organisms have been termed as probiotic bacteria—a group that appears to have specific health-promoting attributes.