Advances in Fermentation Processes

The fermentation processes are under the spotlight of the scientific research in order to improve the quantitative and qualitative properties of the final products. Concerning the food industry, the microbial-based fermentation has been by tradition used to obtain edible foods and beverages denoted by extended shelf life and relevant nutritional properties. Furthermore, numerous helpful microorganisms are able to prevent pathogens/spoilers growing and to inactivate undesirable compounds, such as biogenic amines and mycotoxins. Fermented foods can enhance the human health by the interactions with live microbes (probiotic effect) or indirectly, thanks to the ingestion of microbial metabolites of fermentative origin (biogenic effect). An incessant investigation concerning microbial diversity is under the way, in order to describe and exploit innovative microbial-based biotechnological approaches for the utilization of novel foodstuff to address the current worldwide food crisis. Moreover, numerous microorganisms have been suggested as cell factory for the synthesis of different desired compounds such as of antimicrobial, antioxidants, vitamins and other bioactive molecules, also using as initial substrate different agro-industrial wastes. The Book "Advances in Microbial Fermentation Processes" collects the description of different investigations concerning the study and the application of new fermentation approaches mediated by microorganisms of industrial interest. In particular, the chapters include innovative studies about the microbial production of valuable compound: penicillin production by Penicillium chrysogenum under different physiological conditions; the synthesis of GABA using purified recombinant GAD from L. plantarum; the antibiotic biosynthesis in S. clavuligerus strains; medium-chain fatty acids by using both pure cultures and mixed microbial communities Different studies roles of the volatile compounds associate with ascomycete/bacteria interaction to fight plant pathogens, to improve breads quality and to assess wine quality are also reported. Novelties in the microbial-mediated production of a fermented milk-derived food to promote growth in stunted children and of traditional meat-derived foods, are here described. Two interesting chapters show innovative results obtained by the assessment of novel protocol for the production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus biomasses. The assessment of biodiversity of microbial communities in whole-plant corn silages is included in two different chapters. This volume contributes to the progress of knowledge about the microbial fermentation processes by describing the newest application for the exploitation of microorganism biodiversity in different biotechnological fields.