Fermentation has been applied since antiquity for the production of palatable food with
excellent preservation capacity. It is driven by microbial consortia that are adapted to the
nutrient and energy sources of the raw materials and specific ambient conditions. Through
the interplay between abiotic and biotic factors, the production of fermented products
with enhanced organoleptic characteristics, preservation potential and nutritional value,
is achieved.
Assessment of the microbial communities that drive fermentation has attracted
significant scientific attention. Characterization of the physicochemical properties of the
raw materials employed, identification of the microorganisms that dominate or participate
as secondary microbiota in these microecosystems, their metabolic potential, as well as the
effect that the fermentation conditions may have on the biotransformations that take place
during fermentation, have been in the epicenter of scientific scrutiny for decades. The aim
of this Research Topic was to provide with a collection of articles that would facilitate our
understanding on the aforementioned topics, identify research gaps and pave the road for
future research.
Τεχνολογικό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου
