Lactic Acid Bacteria and Biotechnology of Cereal and Legume-Based Fermented Foods from India

Abstract

Consumption of fermented food is widely recognized across the world to play an extremely vital role in improving gut microflora, building immunity and increasing the overall quality of human and animal life. To substantiate the importance of fermented foods among stakeholders, it becomes imperative to study in detail the various fermented foods of local origin and the plethora of microbial processes associated with them. In this chapter, the authors explore various Indian fermented foods made primarily from cereals and legumes, especially those that use the widely prevalent lactic acid bacteria, including lactobacilli, and the less-explored enterococci as starter cultures. The various challenges associated with the identification, maintenance and propagation of specific starter cultures an