CHARACTERIZATION OF MILLET AND BUCKWHEAT SOURDOUGHS FERMENTING WITH AUTOCHTHONOUS PEDIOCOCCUS PENTOSACEUS STRAINS

Pediococcus pentosacues strains, isolates from naturally fermenting millet and buckwheat sourdoughs, were used as starters for millet and buckwheat sourdoughs fermentation in order to evaluate their metabolic activity in native sourdough environment. For comparison, fermentation of studied non-wheat sourdoughs with a wheat isolate was done. Generally, sourdoughs fermented with autochthonous isolates are characterized by higher value of TTA and lactic acid compared to sourdoughs fermented with wheat isolates. The observed differences in TTA value between the sourdoughs prepared with autochthonous pediococci and the ones with wheat isolate were more pronounced in the case of millet sourdoughs. Glucose concentration and lactic acid production varied depending on the used pediococci strains and fermentation time.