The Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Milk Fermentation

Abstract

Species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) represent as potential microorganisms and have been widely applied in food fermentation worldwide. Milk fermentation process has been relied on the activity of LAB, where trans-formation of milk to good quality of fermented milk products made possible. The presence of LAB in milk fermentation can be either as spontaneous or inoculated starter cultures. Both of them are promising cultures to be explored in fermented milk manufacture. LAB have a role in milk fermentation to produce acid which is important as preservative agents and generating flavour of the products. They also produce exopolysaccharides which are essential as texture formation. Considering the existing reports on several health-promoting properties as well as their generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status of LAB, they can be widely used in the developing of new fermented milk products.