Acta Chimica Slovaca (ACS) publishes papers on fundamental and applied aspects of chemistry, biochemistry, chemical technology, chemical engineering and process control, biotechnology and food technology. Welcome are also topics which include chemical aspects of materials, physical chemistry and chemical physics, analytical chemistry, macromolecular chemistry and biomedical engineering.

Importance of lactobacilli for bread-making industry

Petra Gereková *, Zuzana Petruláková, Ernest Šturdík

Institute of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Protection, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

E-mail: * petra.gerekova@stuba.sk

Abstract: Lactic acid bacteria are widely used in the production of fermented foods when they are used as the starter cultures. The starter cultures are defined as a preparation consisting of active or inactive microorganisms which possess desirable metabolic activity. The design of starters used in bakery industry requires prior knowledge of the biochemical characteristics and baking potential of present microflora. Performance of starters during fermentation process is usually studied by characterization of the acidification properties, such as pH value decrease, total titratable acidity increase and organic acids production. This review describes characteristics of bacteria belonging to the genera Lactobacillus, their metabolism and useful properties as sourdough microorganisms.

Keywords: bread, fermentation, lactic acid bacteria, sourdough, starter cultures

Full paper in Portable Document Format: acs_0098.pdf

Acta Chimica Slovaca, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2011, pp. 118—135