ABSTRACT

The use of bacterial starters in the baking industry is in its infancy. With the sole exception of soda crackers, the "average" American diet does not include any bakery product using a bacterial fermentation. Probably the most notable bakery product using a bacterial fermentation is the San Francisco sourdough French bread which accounts for approximately 20% of the bread consumed in a limited geographical area. In most cases, bacterial fermentation for bakery goods is quite similar in that it imparts a "distinctive" flavor and aroma to the final product. Although the major function of bacterial fermentation in bakery goods is the formation of flavor and aroma, a few products rely on the microorganism for leavening and texture. Some of these products are Pumpernickel, Idli, and Puto breads. In all bakery products, the common substrate for fermentation is a cereal flour that contains sufficient sugars to supply the nutritional requirements of the lactic bacteria involved in producing metabolites.