Bacterial Starter Culture

Bacterial starter culture is a culture of bacterial strains that are either pure or mixed, which is used to initiate a
fermentation process. The use of lactic acid bacteria as starter cultures in the production of fermented foods is
one of the oldest food processing practices utilized. It is designed to stabilize food products while obtaining
specific, desired sensory and organo-leptic properties. The fact that fermented
products, which naturally contain these micro-organisms and the antimicrobials they may pro-duce, have been
consumed traditionally without any negative health effects, has given lactic acid
bacteria GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status (Giraffa et al. 1994). In many cases, the most obvious
change during lactic acid fermentation is the production of acid and subsequent lowering of pH that results in an
increase in sourness and a decrease in sweetness (McFeeters 2004). Lactic acid bacteria
comprise a versatile group of microorganisms that possess a range of common properties; they all produce lactic
acid known for its inhibitory action against many other microorganisms. Lactic acid bacteria are generally
mesophilic but can grow at temperatures as low as 5°C or as high as 45°C. Similarly, while the majority of the
strains grow at pH4.0–4.5, some are active at even pH9.6 and others at pH3.2 (Caplice and Fitzgerald 1999).
The important properties of lactic acid bacteria used in vegetable fermen-tation are presented in Table 17.1. In
general, excluding some streptococci, lactic acid bacteria are harmless to humans. This makes lactic acid
bacteria ideal agents for food preservation. The pathways by which hexoses are metabolized divide lactic acid
bacteria into two groups: homofermetative and heterofermentative. Lactic acid bacteria are subdivided on the
basis of their action on glucose fermentation. Homofer-menters such as Pediococcus, Streptococcus,
Lactococcus, and some Lactobacilli produce lactic acid as the major or sole product from glucose (London
1990). Heterofermenters, such as Weissella and Leuconostoc, have an impor-tant role in producing flavonoid
components such as acetaldehydes and diacetyl. Lactic acid bacteria have a range of methods for outcompeting
other microorganisms (Guizani and Mothershaw 2006, 2007). Their most effective mechanism is to grow
readily in most foods, producing acid, which lowers the pH rapidly to a point where other competing organisms
can no longer survive (Steinkraus 1983). Lactobacilli also lack catalase and therefore have the ability to produce
hydrogen peroxide, which is inhibitory to spoilage organisms (Steinkraus 1983). The role of hydrogen peroxide
as a preservative is likely to be minor, especially when compared to acid production. Carbon dioxide produced
by heterofermenters also has a preservative effect resulting partially from its contribution to anaerobiosis
(Steinkraus 1983). In addition, lactic acid bacteria have an enormous potential to inhibit microorganisms
through the production of bacteriocin (Caplice and Fitzgerald 1999; Leroy and De Vuyst 2004; Drider et al.
2006).

Lactic acid bacteria are nutritionally fastidi-ous and require supplements including vitamins and amino acids.
Cabbage, cucumbers, and olives used for brining apparently contain all of the essential nutrients for growth of
lactic acid bacteria normally associated with fermentation of these commodities. Spanish ‐style green olives
subjected to inadequate alkali and leach-ing treatments could provide an exception (Daeschel and Fleming
1984). A range of potential health benefits has been associated with the consumption of lactic acid bacteria
(Guizani and Mothershaw 2006; Yeo and Ewe 2015). Fermented fruits and vegetables can be used as a potential
source of probiotics as they harbor several lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum, L. pentosus, L.
brevis, L. acidophilus, L. fermentum, Leuconostoc fallax, and L. mesenteroides (Martins et al. 2013; Swain et al.
2014). Many of these health claims are not well elucidated and are the subject of research to identify the active
compounds and specify their specific roles.
Yeasts

Yeasts are characterized by a wide dispersion inthe natural habitats, but are most frequently isolated from
carbohydrate‐rich substrates, such as fruits and plant nectars (Adams and Moss 2000). However, several species
have been able to adapt to different environments. Yeasts are rarely toxic or pathogenic and are
generallyacceptable to consumers (Suomalainen and Oura 1971). Yeasts are unicellular eukaryotic
microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1,500 species described (Kurtzman and Fell 2006).
However, only a small number are regularly used to make alcoholic beverages
(Adams and Moss 2000). Several species are involved in the fermentation of wine, beer, bread, caper,
cucumbers, and other vegetables. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most frequently
used species and has many variants available. S. cerevisiae ferments glucose but does not ferment
lactose or starch directly. Yeasts are used to produce ethanol, CO2, flavor, and aroma. Other metabolic products,
including minor amounts of ethyl acetate, fusel alcohols (pentanol, isopen
tanol, and isobutanol), sulfur compounds, and leakage of amino acids and nucleotides can all
contribute to the sensory changes induced by yeasts (Suomalainen and Oura 1971). Yeasts are also significant as
spoilage microorganisms, especially in food and beverages with a low pH, high salt concentrations, and
lowtemperatures (Stratford 2006). This is the case for table olive production, where a habitual low pH and high
NaCl concentration occurs in the final product (Garrido Fernández et al. 1997).

Molds

Molds are fungal species that have filamentous hyphae. Molds are aerobic and have the greatest array of
enzymes. Molds are important to the food industry, as both spoilers and preservers of
foods, and are particularly used in fermenta-tions for flavor development. Certain molds
produce antibiotics, while mycotoxin produc-tion by others is a major concern in the food
industry. Some molds are used in the food industry to produce specific enzymes, such as amylases for use in
bread making. Some species, such as Aspergillus oryzae, are used in fermen-tations of soybeans to make miso
and soy sauce. Mucor and Rhizopus are also used in some tra-ditional food fermentations. Rhizopus oligosporus
is considered essential in the production of tempeh from soybeans.

Microbial Sequence in Fermented Vegetables

The fermentation of vegetables depends not on any single organism, but on a consortium of bacteria
representing several different genera and species. A given organism (or group of organisms) initiates
growth and becomes established for a period. Due to accumulation of inhibitory compounds, growth
slows down and gives way to other species that are less sensitive to those factors.
Many researchers have reported a sequential involvement for different species of lactic acid bacteria (Pederson
and Albury 1969; Stamer et al. 1971; Stamer 1975; Pederson 1979). The succession of specific lactic acid
bacteria during natural fermentation of vegetables is dependent on the chemical (substrates, salt concentration,
and pH) and physical (vegetable type, tempera-ture) environments (Harris et al. 1992). Fleming (1982) divided
the microbial growth during nat-ural fermentation of vegetables into four
sequential stages: (1) initiation, which includes growth of various Gram‐positive and Gram ‐ negative bacteria
present on the vegetable; (2) primary fermentation, which includes growth of lactic acid bacteria with or
without growth of fermentative yeasts;