ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the potential of exploiting fermented foods as a basis for functional food development. With increasing knowledge of nutritional, therapeutic and functional properties of fermented food products, indigenous foods have a chance to spread all over the world. The majority of fermented food products are produced by the activity of lactic acid bacteria and fungi. In many fermented food products from the East and Southeast Asia the mold activity produces a range of hydrolytic enzymes whose role is decomposition of the macromolecular material present in a raw material into smaller particles. In Asian countries such food products are based on raw materials of plant origin, whereas in Europe substrate of animal origin such as cheese, fermented sausage and ham are used. Molds are the fungi growing in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. The fungi are incapable of photosynthesis but derive energy from the matter on which they live.
