ABSTRACT
Fermentation processes have been used by humankind since the dawn of history, when it was discovered that simple actions can induce substantial sensory changes in prepared meals. Initially, these changes were uncontrolled and occurred spontaneously with a high risk of failure. With the beginning of mass-scale production, the problems of product quality and shelf life have emerged. These concerned mainly such products as beer and wine, where apart from developing a new product with altered taste and odor, the combined effect of preservation and change of consistency, structure, and shape was achieved. Whitaker (1978) describes changes in texture as one of the fundamental objectives of fermentation. The fermentative transformations evoked mainly by bacteria, fungi, and molds involve profound changes in the nal product in comparison to the raw material. These changes affect not only the organoleptic characteristics, but also the fundamental rheological properties of a product.
