Sourdough and cereal-based foods: traditional and innovative products

Cereals represent the main crop of the five continents and contribute greatly to the diet of several populations. Cereals often undergo a fermentation before eating. This process is fundamental to confer high sensory quality, as well as to preserve and enhance the nutritional and safety aspects of the resulting products. Fermented cereal based foods are complex microbial ecosystems, mainly represented by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. Among these products, sourdough is worldwide applied to produce breads. Sourdough technology is also used to improve the final characteristics of fortified and gluten–free breads. This chapter focuses on the use of cereals to produce the most relevant fermented foods. The processes of fermentation and the microbial groups involved are analysed. Potentials and limits of sourdough to produce high quality fortified and gluten–free breads are summarised. The technological parameters for the selection of the starter cultures are also reported.