Flavor of lactic acid fermented malt based beverages: Current status and perspectives

•Malt wort is a proper substrate for lactic acid fermentation and functional beverage production.•Flavor improvement of lactic acid fermented malt beverages is crucial for its future expansion.•Existing data and knowledge gap on the flavor of cereal beverages were outlined.•Poor sensory profile, lack of consumer acceptance and process technology are the shortcomings.•Fermentation process management and starter culture selection could improve the flavor.

BackgroundAlthough several research studies have described potentialities of lactic acid fermented cereal beverages as functional beverages, their market and industrial applications are quasi non-existing. Poor sensory quality, low acceptance, and lack of production technology seem to be the challenges. Sensory characteristics, commonly described as sour, sweet, cereal-like, and malty, are not always regarded as positive by consumers and represent therefore an important hurdle for their acceptance. Neither their aroma composition has been studied in depth for overall aroma understanding, nor has an attempt for sensory profile improvement been done. Aroma type and quantity might depend on several factors like starter culture, substrate, and fermentation process.Scope and approachIn this review, we discussed the potential of cereal malt wort as a precursor medium for aroma compound formation during lactic acid fermentation; sensory characteristics and aroma-active compounds of lactic acid fermented cereal beverages are also described; strategies that can be exploited for flavor improvement are proposed with focus on existing technologies. Case studies based on existing products are included for technological innovation in order to meet increasing consumer's demands for new tastes.Key findings and conclusionsFurther works on characterization of aroma compounds, elucidation of key aroma compounds that contribute to the overall aroma, flavor impact of the interactions aroma - organic acids, consumer's needs investigation, lactic acid bacteria starter culture selection and fermentation process management will provide significant advances towards the flavor improvement of cereal beverages for a promising market.