ABSTRACT
Food processing/fermentations use various technologies and operations to convert relatively perishable, typically bulky and inedible raw materials into palatable foods and potable beverages with high stability and added values. Biotechnological aspects in the industrialization of indigenous fermented foods open the possibilities for exploring the technological interventions for improved production methods and quality of the foods. Fermented foods are the ones that undergo microbial or enzymatic alterations for quality and sensorial improvement by biochemical changes. Broadly, fermentation can be grouped into those that take place using solid foods, that is solid state fermentation and those, that use liquid raw materials called submerged fermentation. Vinegars are diluted acetic acid, produced in a two stage fermentation process; in the first step the sugar sources are fermented into alcohol using yeasts and further the alcoholic medium is fermented to acetic acid using acetic acid bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria are beneficial microorganisms, popularly used for fermentation of milk.
