Cereal source and microbial consortia of the starter culture influence the chemical composition and physicochemical characteristics of boza

Abstract

Boza is a popular cereal-based traditional beverage particularly consumed during winter months in Balkan countries andTurkic societies. The present study aims to investigate the influence of different cereal sources and starter cultures used in the commercialproduction of boza on its chemical and microbiota compositions and physicochemical characteristics. Detailed experimentation hasrevealed that chemical compositions, i.e. carbohydrates (beta-glucans, starches), organic acids, vitamins, dietary fibers, proteins, fat,and minerals, along with physicochemical characteristics, are subject to significant differentiation depending upon the cereal types andmicrobial consortia of the starter culture used in boza production. These variations also influence the physicochemical characteristicsand the nutritive value of the final product. In the course of the study, various lactic acid bacteria [Lactococcus lactis, leuconostocs(Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Lc. lactis, Lc. citreum), Lactobacillus spp. (L. plantarum, L. paracasei, L. brevis, L. delbrueckii subsp.delbrueckii)] and yeasts (Pichia fermentans, Candida colliculosa, Geotrichum sp., and Galactomyces geotrichum) were identified asthe members of the microbial community in three boza samples. Results of the present study open a new research line for betterunderstanding of the contribution of the cereal source and microbiota composition of boza beverage to its nutritive value as well asbiological effects on human health.