Cereal grains are known to be one of the most important dietary resources of nutrition in all over the world. Cereal are considered inferior in terms of nutritional and sensorial quality as compared to other foods. Several approaches have been recommended to enhance the nutritional qualities of cereals, however, the best one is fermentation. Fermentation, had been reported to improve sensory and nutritional quality of cereals. Generally, natural lactic fermentation of cereal results in a decrease in carbohydrates content together with increase in some amino acids and B-group vitamins. Further, fermentation results in reduction of antinutritional factors, leading to an increment in mineral availability and protein and starch digestibility. Traditionally, cereal based fermented foods are prepared from most commonly available cereals grains using natural fermentation involving mixed cultures of yeasts, bacteria and fungi. Several of them are used as side dish, breakfast and light meal, and main foods. The microbiology of several of this commonly consumed cereal based fermented foods is quite complex and unknown. Probiotic microorganisms are well known for their multipurpose health beneficial effects. Mostly dairy products had been used as substrate for probiotics for years. Recent times cereals are gaining popularity as a probiotic delivery vehicle due to their inherent attributes. Cereal grains can serve as a suitable carrier matrix of probiotic cultures by supporting the growth and survival of organisms. The current review focuses on some traditional cereal based fermented foods, potential of cereal grains to use as growth medium of probiotic cultures and finally, newly developed non-dairy probiotic food products.

Weissella species are Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, catalase-negative, obligate heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria. They inhabit nutrient rich environments and can be isolated from a variety of sources and different fermented foods. They possess functional and technological attributes which can be of use in the safety, nutritional and sensory characteristics of foods. Among the members of this genus, Weissella cibaria and Weissella confusa have been described as high producers of exopolysaccharides and oligosaccharides, and hence exhibit texturizing properties. Several Weissella species isolated from food and animal sources are reported to possess various health promoting effects like cholesterol reduction, antioxidant activity, immunomodulatory effect, oral health promoting effects and anticancer effects.

In the era of reduction in sugar consumption, availability of suitable alternative sweeteners is highly desirable. But to find an ideal substitute of sucrose remained destined dream. Tagatose is now is emerging as very promising substitute of sucrose for use as a sweetener. Therefore, in present study suitability of tagatose evaluated as a sweetener in Lassi. The findings of the study suggested that Lassi prepared by substituting sucrose by tagatose or its blend with sucrose or fructose was very well acceptable in sensory evaluation. Tagatose was able to substitute sucrose in Lassi without any changing the process parameter. Proximate composition, physicochemical properties and microbial counts of the sucrose substituted Lassi were more or less similar to corresponding products prepared by using sucrose as a sweetener. Shelf-life of the sucrose substituted Lassi was also similar to corresponding Lassi prepared by using sucrose as a sweetener.

β-galactosidase is an enzyme which is highly important in dairy industry. The purpose of the enzyme is the hydrolysis of lactose. In addition to that it has other food applications. Due to the increasing incidence of lactose intolerance, this enzyme is gaining importance commercially. Many advancements have come with respect to this production of enzymes like biotechnological innovation and immobilization.