ABSTRACT
Humans have produced fermented foods since ancient times. Fermented beverages, particularly those resulting from alcoholic fermentation, have had significant cultural and economic importance in practically all civilizations around the world, throughout human history. This chapter discusses the most important aspects related to alcoholic fermentation. Some general aspects of alcoholic beverages, both distilled and nondistilled, are revised. The elemental biochemical aspects of alcoholic fermentation are also reviewed. Microorganisms participating in this process include Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts as well as bacteria. It is essential to consider that bacteria or yeasts can perform alcoholic fermentation in pure culture but also in a mixed microbial population. Next, spontaneous and inoculated alcoholic fermentations are described. The chapter ends with some final remarks about the research needed to take advantage of many seldom used microbial strains. This discussion is framed within the context of the omics era and in a world of changing and increasingly demanding markets.
