Vegetable Fermentation with Economical Significance in South America: Use of Ensilage as a Probiotic Vehicle

Abstract

There are different methods to conserve foods, and one of them is increasing the acidity. This can be achieved arti…cially with the addition of weak acids or naturally by fermentation, obtaining free additive products. The preservation of food by fermentation is an ancient and widely practiced technology. These processes were crafted in nature and, obviously, the role of bacteria was not appreciated. Nowadays, it is accepted that the fermentation processes can be developed spontaneously by the action of native micro-”ora or by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculation. Fermentation increases not only the product’s shelf life and microbiological food safety, but also improves the digestibility and nutritional value of the food (Caplice and Fittzgerald 1999).