Update in bread fermentation by lactic acid bacteria

The lactic fermentation of cereals improves the food quality through the development of flavor, enhancement of the nutritional value and shelf life, and by removing toxic or antinutritional factors of food products. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains are able to improve the shelf life of several food products. The efficiency of the LAB cultures determined in in vitro assays was confirmed in bread manufacture. Data obtained put in evidence the suitability of selected LAB strains to be used as natural food-grade biocontrol agents for reducing mould spoilage in bakery products. Also, the proteolytic activity of LAB might be used as a tool to reduce the allergenic fragments of wheat-baked goods. Several strains displayed activity on 31-43 and 62-75 α-gliadin-fragments while the 57–89 peptide, the most resistant to proteolysis, was only degraded by a combination of LAB strains with different peptidase profiles.