Question:

The leavening in Idli batter is primarily due to _______

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Unlike bread which relies on yeasts like Saccharomyces cerevisiae for leavening, traditional Indian idli batter relies on the lactic acid bacterium Leuconostoc mesenteroides for both leavening and acid production.
  • Aureobasidium spp.
  • Leuconostoc mesenteroides
  • Alcaligenes faecalis
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation



Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

Idli fermentation is a traditional, natural lactic acid fermentation process of a rice and black gram batter.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

During the fermentation process, Leuconostoc mesenteroides is the dominant microorganism.
It produces lactic acid, which lowers the pH of the batter, and carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) gas.
The generated gas becomes trapped in the viscous batter, causing it to rise (leaven) and resulting in a spongy texture after steaming.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Therefore, the leavening in Idli batter is primarily due to Leuconostoc mesenteroides.
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