ABSTRACT
Fermentation is one of the oldest “food biotechnological” processes used to prepare foods and beverages which is recorded in the ancient history of man ( Joshi and Pandey, 1999; Ross et al., 2002). Indigenous fermented foods and beverages have been an integral component of the dietary culture of every community in the world ever since the beginning of human civilization (Tibor, 2007). ese foods have been prepared and consumed all over the world (Steinkraus, 1979; Sekar and Mariappan, 2007), including South Asia and India (Panesar and Marwaha, 2013). ese foods served as dietary staples, adjuncts to staples, pickles, condiments, and beverages (Dahal et al., 2005). ese foods are palatable, wholesome, and nutritive confectionery items (Ann Mothershaw and Guizani, 2007), and have unique avor, aroma, and texture attributes which are much appreciated by consumers (Caplice and Fitzgerald, 1999). e original and primary purpose of fermenting food substrates was to achieve a preservative eect, but with the development of many more eec tive alternative preservation technologies, the preservation eect is no longer the most pressing requirement.
