High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Microbial Food Cultures are live bacteria, yeasts or moulds used in food production. Microbial Food Cultures carry out fermentation process in foodstuffs. Used by humans since the Neolithic period (around 10 000 years BC) fermentation helps to preserve perishable foods and to improve their nutritional and organoleptic qualities (relating to the senses, taste, sight, smell, touch). Today, fermented food represents between one quarter and one third of food consumed in Central Europe. More than 260 different species of Microbial Food Cultures are identified and described for their beneficial use in fermented food products from all over the world. This show the great importance of the use of Microbial Food Cultures.