Sourdough Fermentations

Abstract

The fermentative biota of the majority of different sourdough types con- sists of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), most of which belong to the genus Lactobacillus, and yeasts. The exploitation of these organisms emerging from a long history in sourdough fermentations forms an emerging field for baking applications and design of added-value food. The deliberate use of functional traits within these bacteria is strongly supported by knowledge of their diversity, phylogenetic and environmental status, the characterization of their genome structure, gene regula- tion and metabolic potential. This knowledge base is required to achieve a status of qualified presumption of safety (QPS) as recently proposed by the European Authority for Food Safety (EFSA). Molecular methodology in taxonomy and genetics are the major contributors to gain these insights in biodiversity, behavior and functionality of sourdough microorganisms.