ABSTRACT
Starter cultures are selected microorganisms that are deliberately added to milk to initiate and carry out desired fermentation under controlled conditions in the production of fermented dairy products. Currently, cultured dairy products are driving the growth of dairy foods consumptions (IDFA 2011). Starter cultures play an essential role in the manufacturing, fl avor and texture development of fermented dairy foods; therefore, they are of great industrial signifi cance. Furthermore, data accumulating on the potential health benefi ts of ingesting these organisms have created additional interest in starter bacteria. Traditionally, starter cultures were developed through screening procedures and selection by trial and error. Today, starter cultures for fermented foods are developed mainly by design. Advances made in genetics and molecular biology have provided additional opportunities for studying the genomics of these economically signifi cant organisms. This has allowed engineering of cultures that focuses on rational improvement of the industrially useful strains.
