ABSTRACT
In the biosphere, microorganisms are the only entities with an incomparable aptitude to utilize diverse organic and inorganic substances for growth and convert it to simple form which is no longer harmful to human health and environment (Verma and Srivastav, 2017). Their potential to alter natural and synthetic hazardous chemical compounds into simple energy sources and/or raw materials for own growth offer a viable alternative to expensive chemical as well as physical remediation processes; further, biological processes are environment-friendly and economic (Sasikumar and Papinazath, 2003). Many microorganisms including bacteria, yeast, and molds have shown their biodegradation and bioremediation significance. However, little is known about the application of food-grade microorganisms in this aspect. Among various bacteria, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and related genera such as Bifidobacterium, Propionibacteria, as well as several yeast species are considered as food-grade microorganisms, inherently associated with fermentation of many food products (Patel et al., 2017; Verma et al., 2017a). Some of these microorganisms have gained probiotic status due to their noteworthy contributions in health stimulatory activities as a natural gut microflora in animals and humans (Patel, 2012; Patel et al., 2017).
