The fermentation of trahanas: a milk-wheat flour combination.

The fermented food, trahanas (a milk-wheat flour combination prepared in Greece), was studied to determine the microbiological and chemical changes that occur during fermentation. It is a lactic acid bacterial fermentation in which Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus diacetylactis, Leuconostoc cremoris, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus acidophilus play the major acid- and aroma-producing role. The whole fermentation lasts about 50 hours. The pH of the final dried trahanas was 4.07-4.75, the acidity 0.60-1.00%, the moisture content 8.6-11.5% and the protein content 10.4-13.6%. The product offers possibilities as an increased nutritive value or high-protein food.