Dry bakery products and a process for their preparation

1. Field of the Invention Dough useful for the preparation of dry bakery products, particulary crackers, is prepared by the addition to the dough of a bakery ingredient prepared by fermentation of cereal germs with lactic acid producing bacteria. The fermentation is preferably carried out with Lactobacilli, such as During the fermentation yeast and/or enzymes such as proteases and carbohydrases may be added to the fermentation mixture. After fermentation, the mixture is preferably concentrated or converted into a dry product which can be easily shipped, stored and handled. The bakery ingredient leads to a simplified and shorter process for preparing dry cereal products and improved product properties. For cracker manufacture, the traditional sponge step can be omitted.