BIOCHEMICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE METABOLISM OF PURE AND MIXED CULTURES OF YEAST AND LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA IN BREADMAKING APPLICATIONS

The production of varieties of breads with the quality required at pre sent by the European consumer closely relates to the proper use of sta rting microorganisms in controlled and optimized breadmaking condition s. The relationship between processing requirements and wheat bread qu ality involves an understanding of the metabolism of the starting micr oflora which regulate production or assimilation of suitable and unsui table metabolites during the breadmaking process, mediated by the spec ific enzyme activities and nutritional requirements of yeast and lacti c acid bacteria. In this paper, recent advances in the biochemical and technological assessment of pure and mixed cultures of yeast and lact ic acid bacteria in breadmaking applications are reviewed. Metabolite profiles in model and simplified wheat flour systems, performance of b readmaking starters in straight and sourdough systems, and relationshi ps between process conditions, technological performance and metabolis m of fermentation starters are discussed.