Paper No.

: 03
Paper Title: FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
Module – 16: Starter cultures for
fermented foods

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 Component-I (A) - Personal Details:
Role Name Affiliation

National Coordinator Professor R.C. Kuhad University of Delhi South Campus

New Delhi
Subject Coordinator Professor Vijayakhader Former Dean,
Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University,
Hyderabad
Paper Coordinator Professor A. K. Puniya National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI),
Karnal
Content Writer/Author Dr. Pradip Behare National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI),
Karnal

Content Reviewer

Language Editor (LE)

Technical Conversion

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 Component-I (A) - Module Structure:
Structure of Module/Syllabus of a module (Define Topic of module and its subtopic)
Introduction, Microorganisms used in fermented foods, Bacteria, Yeast,
Starter Cultures for Mold, Types of starter cultures, Single-culture, Mixed Pure Culture, Mixed
Fermented Foods Natural Culture, Uses of starter cultures in dairy and non-dairy food
products
Component-II - Description of Module
Description of Module
Subject Name Food Technology

Paper Name Food Microbiology

Module Name
Starter Cultures for Fermented Foods

Module Id FT/FM/16

Pre-requisites Starter Cultures, types of starter, Starters for milk and food products,
fermented milks
Objectives To study about types starter cultures used for various milk and food
products
Keywords Starter cultutes, lactic acid bacteria, dahi, yoghurt, fermented foods

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table No. Description

Table 4.1
Starter Culture Used for Preparation of Fermented Milk Products
Table 4.2
Starters Used in Non-Dairy Fermented Foods

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 1. Introduction

2. Microorganisms used in fermented foods

2.2 Bacteria

2.2 Yeast

2.3 Mold

3. Types of starter cultures

3.1 Single-culture
3.2 Mixed Pure Cultures
3.3 Mixed Natural Culture
4. Uses of starter cultures in dairy and non-dairy food products
5. Summary
6. References

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 1. INTRODUCTION

Starter cultures are selected groups of organisms deliberately added in to milk and food products to bring
about desirable fermentation. Most of them belong to lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus, Lactobacillus,
Streptococcus, Leuconostocs), however, certain non-lactic bacteria, yeasts or molds are also used on special
occasion for fermentation. Selection of starters is based on the rate of acid production, flavour production,
proteolysis, lipolysis, baceriocin production, tolerance to adverse conditions, etc. Therefore, proper
understanding of metabolic activity of starter organisms is very important.

The successful manufacture of all fermented food products relies on the presence, growth and metabolism of
specific types of microorganisms. Generally the indigenous microorganisms present in the raw material
initiate the fermentation process. For example raw milk, meat, grains, fruits usually harbor the variety
bacteria necessary to convert these materials into final fermented products. For these natural fermentations to
be successful, however, requires not only that the “correct” microorganisms be present, but also that suitable
conditions for their growth are essentially required.

Traditionally, milk was left to sour naturally for preparation of fermented milk or cheese. This method was
not reliable and consistent, was prone to failure and could promote undesirable fermentations. These
drawbacks were due to lack of scientific knowledge in the field of microbiology. However, after Joseph
Lister's (1878) accomplishment of isolation of pure culture of S. lactis from milk by serial dilution technique,
the work on the causative agents of desirable milk fermentation, known as starter cultures has grown
steadily. Use of starter cultures has made the milk fermentation more reliable and useful.

The first use of starter culture was made by Storch and Conn in 1890 for developing flavour and aroma in
butter. Commercial cultures were placed on the market by the Dannish farm of Hansen towards the end of
nineteenth century. Today this is one of the most advanced laboratory, known as Chr. Hansen's Lab. in the
world supplying starter cultures and some other products.

Today, we know that the fermentation not only preserves the food and keeps away from spoilage. but confers
several other nutritional, therapeutic and techno-economic benefits.

2. MICROORGANISMS USED IN FERMENTED FOODS

Several microorganisms are used as starter cultures for making fermented food products. However, the
number of microbial species used in fermented foods is comparatively small. Of the thousands of species of
microorganisms in nature, only the following genera are well utilized by the food fermentation industry:

2.1 Bacteria: Acetobacter, Streptococcus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Lactobacillus,

Propionibacterium, Brevibacterium, Bacillus and Micrococcus.

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

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 2.2 Yeast: Saccharomyces (especially S. cerevisiae and S. carlsbergensis), Candida, Torulopsis, and
Hansenula

2.3 Mold: Aspergillus, Penicillium, Rhizopus, Mucor, Monascus, and Actinomucor

In many traditional or indigenous fermented products, the cultures are not known or identified.

3. Types of starter cultures

3.1 Single-culture

The key to the success of single-culture fermentation is to provide the culture with a sterile substrate and
environment with no contamination during the fermentation process.

Examples include wine making, beer making, bread making, production of single-culture fermented dairy
products, and vinegar production. In this type of fermentation the viable cells increase in a typical growth
curve sequence of lag phase, log phase, stationary phase, and death phase. Primary metabolites (alcohol,
acid, etc) are made during the log phase, and secondary products (antibiotics, toxins, etc) are made after the
culture reaches the stationary phase.

An ideal culture for fermentation should possess the following attributes:

 Organisms must be pure.

 Organisms must grow and reproduce quickly.
 Organisms must be genetically stable yet amiable to manipulation for better performance.
 Organisms must produce uniform product in a short time.
 Organisms must not produce undesirable by-products.
 Organisms must have a protective mechanism (e.g., acid or bacteriocin production) against other
undesirable contaminants.
3.2 Mixed pure cultures

Some products need a mixture of known cultures. The mixed pure cultures can be a controlled mixture of
bacteria or bacteria with a combination of yeast and mold. Yogurt making and cheese making are good
examples of this type of mixed fermentation. It is necessary to provide a balance of the two cultures for
maximum performance. For example, in yogurt making the desired ratio of cocci (S. thermophilus) to rod (L.
bulgaricus) is 5:1 in cell numbers, but by weight the ratio should be 1:1.

3.3 Mixed natural culture

In many parts of the world, especially in developing countries, the flora of indigenous fermented foods is
mixed natural cultures. The interactions of those microbes are exceedingly complex, and the success of such

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 fermentations depends on following traditional processes and not on scientific principles, because many of
the responsible cultures have not been isolated and studied.

4. USES OF STARTER CULTURES IN DAIRY AND NON-DAIRY FOOD PRODUCTS

Starter cultures are used in the manufacture of all types of fermented milk products including yoghurt, dahi,
cultured buttermilk, sour cream, quarg, klefir, koumiss, cheese etc (Table 4.1). Apart from this starters are
widely employed for preparation of other food products, which are specific to some countries (Table 4.2).

Table 4.1 Starter Culture Used for Preparation of Fermented Milk Products

Product Cultures employed

Yoghurt S. thermophilus + L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus

Dahi Lactococci, Leuconostoc spp, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, L. acidophilus,
S. thermophilus
Cheddar cheese Lactococci
Cottage cheese Leu. Mesenteroides subsp. cremoris, L. casei (occasionally)
Swiss cheese Thermophilic lactobacilli, S. thermophilus,Prop. Freudenreichii subsp.
shermanii
Acidophilus milk L. acidophilus
Bifidus milk Bifidobacterium bifidum
Yakult L. casei
Koumiss L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, Kluyveromyces fragilis
Kefir Kefir grains (contain Lactobacilli, yeasts, Lactococci and acetic acid bacteria)
Brick cheese Lactococci, Brevibacterium linens
Roquefort cheese Lactococci, Penicillium roquefortii
Camembert cheese Penicillium camembertii
Cultured buttermilk Lactococci, Leuconostoc spp.
Bulgarian milk L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus
Leben/Labneh L. lactis subsp. lactis, S. thermophilus, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus
Lactose fermenting yeasts

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 Table 4.2 Starters Used in Non-dairy Fermented Foods

Name of Microorganisms(s) State of Country/

Substrate Product use
Product involved product region

Maize &
Lactic acid bacteria, Used as a
Banku cassava Solid Ghana
yeasts staple food

Deep fried
Lactic acid bacteria, patties after
Bhallae Black gram Snack India
yeasts soaking in curd
or water

Bhatura Lactic acid bacteria, White wheat Deep fried

Breakfast India
yeasts flour bread

Central
Coconut press Solid Roasted
Bongkrek Rhizopus oligosporus meat substitute Java
cake or fried in oil,

Lactic acid bacteria Savannah

Liquid creamy
Candida sp., region
Sorghum &
Burukutu Liquid drink
S. cerevisiae cassava of Nigeria

Mucor spp., A. Soybean whey Solid Eaten fresh,

Chee-fan China
glaucus curd like cheese

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 Spore-forming West
Eaten fresh or
bacteria, lactic acid Africa,
African locust
Dawadawa Solid in stews
bacteria, yeast bean Nigeria

Bengal gram
and condiment
Lactic acid bacteria, Solid/spongy
Dhokla India
yeasts wheat Spongy

Leuconostocs, Lb.
Solid Spongy
fermentum,
Black gram
Dosai/dosa fried breakfast food India
Saccharomyces and rice

Lactobacillus sp., Eaten with

Leuconostoc sp., soup, sauce, or
Fufu Cassava roots Paste Africa
S. cerevisiae stews

Corynebacterium,
Geotrichum
Granular
candidum, Lb.
powder eaten as a West
Gari plantarum, Cassava roots
Granular wet staple Africa
Leuconostocs,
paste
with stews
Alcaligenes sp.,

Candida sp.

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 Soft Raisin-
Aspsergillus oryzae, Soybeans,
like flavoring eaten as a
Streptococcus wheat
Hama natto agent for meat snack Japan
sp., Pediococcus sp. flour
or

fish or

Rice or wheat
Baker’s yeast, acid-
flour
producing Breakfast
Hopper (Appa) and coconut Semi-solid Sri Lanka
bacteria
water

Leuconostocs, Black gram Solid Spongy, India

Idli breakfast food
Saccharomyces sp. and rice steam-cooked

Wheat, barley,
Bread
teff,
Candida
Injera Solid/spongy substitute Ethiopia
guiliermondii maize

India,
Solid Syrup-
Nepal,
Jalebies Yeasts, lactobacilli Wheat flour filled Confectionery
Pakistan

Sour liquid
Rice and India
Kanji Hansenula anomala Liquid added to
carrots
vegetables

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 A. oryzae, Indonesia
Condiment and
Lactobacillus sp., and
Soybeans, seasoning
Kecap Hansenula sp., Liquid nearby
wheat agent
Saccharomyces sp. regions

Corynebacteria,
eaten with
Saccharomyces,
Kenkey Maize Solid Steamed, vegetables Ghana
Molds

Ketjap Black Seasoning

A. oryzae Syrup Indonesia
soybeans agent

Leuconostocs,
Cake-like
Khaman Lactobacilli, yeasts Bengal gram breakfast food India
Solid

Yeasts, lactobacilli, Staple food

Kisra Sorghum flour Spongy bread Sudan
Acetobacter

North
Flat bread India and
Lactic acid bacteria, White wheat
Kulcha Staple food
yeasts flour Pakistan

West
Leuconostocs,
Africa,
Corynebacteria, Staple food
and
Lafun Cassava roots Paste
Candida
Nigeria

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 R. oryzae, R. chinensis

Chlamydomucor eaten with

Solid Soft, China,
Lao-chao oryzae, Rice vegetables
glutinous, Indonesia
Saccharomyces sp.

Maize South
Mahewu Lactic acid bacteria Liquid Drink
Africa

Solid Fried in
Meitauza, e oil or cooked China
Actinomucor elegans Soybean cak
with Taiwan
vegetables

Meju A. oryzae, Rhizopus Seasoning

Soybeans Paste Korea
sp. agent

Merissa
Saccharomyces sp. Sorghum Liquid Drink Sudan

Paecilomyces sp.,
Aspsesrgillus sp.,
Minchin Solid
Claadosporium sp., Wheat gluten Condiment China
Fusarium sp.

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 Aspsergillus sp.,
Torulopsis
Miso,
etchellsii, Soybeans and China
base Paste, soup
Lactobacillus sp., Rice Paste Japan
Saccharomyces rouxii

India,
Unbleached Pakistan,

Yeasts wheat Afghanist

Nan Solid Snack food
flour an,

Iran

Natto used as a meat

Bacillus natto Soybeans Solid Cake Japan
substitute

Lactic acid bacteria

Cephalosporium sp.,
Nigeria
Fusarium sp.,
Ogi Staple West
Aspsergillus sp., Maize Paste
breakfast food Africa
Penicillium sp.,

S. cerevisiae

Neurospora
Ontjom Solid Roasted
intermedia, R. used as meat
Peanut cake or fried food Indonesia
oligosporous substitute

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 Solid Acidic
eaten as such
Peujeum product with
Yeasts, molds Cassava roots or after baking Java
alcoholic
flavor,

Poi Lactobacillus sp., Taken with

Candida vini, Taro corms Semi-solid fish or meat Hawaii
Geotrichum candidum

Pozol Beverage or
Molds, yeasts White maize Solid Mexico
porridge

Puda/ Pudla Bengal gram,

Lactic acid bacteria, snack food
mung, Solid Pancake India
yeasts
Wheat

Leuconostocs,
Streptococcus Snack food Philippine
Puto Rice Solid
faecalis, S. cerevisiae s

A. elegans, Mucor
hiemalis,
Soybean whey Solid Soybean China
Sufu M. silvaticus, M. condiment
curd cake Taiwan
subtilissimus

Staple food
Shamsy bread Yeasts Wheat flour Spongy bread Egypt

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 Japan,
A. oryzae, A. sojae, Seasoning
China,
Lactobacillus agent for meat,
Soybeans and Philippine
fish and
Soy sauce sp., Saccharomyces Liquid
wheat s and
rouxii cereals
Oriental

countries

S. cerevisiae, H. Indonesia
anomala, R. eaten as a and
Cassava roots Solid/paste
Tape oryzae, Mucor sp., staple nearby
or rice Soft, solid
Endomycopsis regions

fibuliger

Indonesia
and
Solid Fried in as a meat
Tempeh Rhizopus sp. Soybeans nearby
oil, roasted substitute
regions

Kenya,
Lactobacilli, Maize,
Breakfast and Uganda
Pediococci, sorghum or
Uji Semi-solid lunch and
Leuconostocs millet flour
Tanzania

Leuconostocs, H.
anomala, Snack
Deep fried
Vadai Black gram India
Saccharomyces patties

Food STARTER CULTURES FOR FERMENTED FOODS

Microbiology
 spicy
Candida sp., Black gram
Waries Solid Spongy condiment India
Saccharomyces sp. flour

5. Summary

It is often argued by advocates of traditional manufacturing methods that natural fermentations, whether
initiated by the endogenous flora, yield products that have unique or singular quality attributes. Naturally-
fermented wines, for example, are often claimed to be superior to wines made using a starter culture. This
attitude may be perfectly fine on a small scale basis, given the inherent flexibility in terms of time and
quality expectations. In contrast, however, modern large-scale industrial production of fermented foods and
beverages demands consistent product quality and food safety. For this reason the pure starter cultures
should be used which are well evaluated in terms of their functionality during food manufacturing process.

6. References

1. Prajapati, J. B. Fundamentals of Dairy Microbiology, First Edition, 1995.

2. Farnworth, E. R., Handbook of Fermented Functional Foods, Second Edition, CRC Press, 2008.
3. Doyle, M. D. & Beuchat, L. R., Food Microbiology, Third Edition, ASM Press, Washington, 2007.
4. Tamang, J. P. & Kailashpathy, K., Fermented Foods and Beverages of World, CRC Press, 2010.

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