Dalla fermentazione tradizionale agli starter autoctoni: come i microbi migliorano i nostri alimenti

Fermented foods, used by humans since ancient times, are produced through the action of bacteria, yeasts, and filamentous fungi, which enhance their organoleptic and nutritional properties. Fermentation can occur spontaneously, promoted by microorganisms originated from raw materials and from the production environment, to achieve complex sensory profiles, or through the inoculation of selected starters with specific pro-technological traits, offering a more controlled and safe process, especially at industrial level. Spontaneous fermentation may entail hygiene and health risks and be less replicable, while controlled fermentation ensures stability but reduces microbial biodiversity and the sensory complexity of the product. The use of autochthonous starters allows for the enhancement of the unique qualities of traditional, typical, and artisanal products, while also ensuring safe management of microbial resources. In this context, traditional fermented foods represent a rich reservoir of microorganisms with pro-technological, functional, and probiotic traits that can be isolated, characterized, and used as autochthonous starters.