Throughout the world different kinds of fermented cereal foods constitute a fundamental part of the diet. These foods also give their flavour to identity of local food cultures.
Having roots in artesanal traditions, modern use of cereal fermentation relies on science-based understanding of microbial metabolism and its impact on the biologically active cereal matrix. The diversification of industrial raw materials and products and awareness of healthy nutrition opens new applications to fermentative processing steps.
The 2012 symposium in Helsinki follows a successful series of international sourdough symposia held in Verona, Brussels, Bari and Freising.
The aim is to feature the latest scientific progress in the interplay of the fermentation microbes and the cereal raw material, ranging from microbiological, biochemical, molecular and biological aspects to technological, nutritional and consumer properties of the products.
