A fermentation starter is a preparation
to assist the beginning of the
fermentation process in preparation of
various foods and fermented drinks. A
starter culture is a microbiological
culture which actually performs
fermentation. These starters usually
consist of a cultivation medium, such as
grains, seeds, or nutrient liquids that
have been well colonized by the
microorganisms used for the
fermentation.
In descriptions of national cuisines,
fermentation starters may be referred to
by their national names:
Qū
Jiuqu: the starter used for making
Chinese alcoholic beverages
Laomian: Chinese sourdough starter
commonly used in Northern Chinese
cuisine, the sourness of the starter is
commonly quenched with sodium carbonate
prior to use.
Nuruk or Nulook, meju or Mae-joo or
Mae-zu
Koji
Ragi
Bakhar, ranu, marchaar, Virjan
Bubod
Luk paeng
Levain
Bread zakvaska
Opara,, a starter based on yeast
These starters are formed using a
specific cultivation medium and a
specific mix of fungal and bacterial
strains.
Typical microorganisms used in starters
include various bacteria and fungi:
Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Mucor,
Amylomyces, Endomycopsis, Saccharomyces,
Hansenula anomala, Lactobacillus,
Acetobacter, etc. Various national
cultures have various active ingredients
in starters, and often involve mixed
microflora.
Industrial starters include various
enzymes, in addition to microflora.
See also 
Bread starter
Leaven
Malting
References 
^ "椒盐筋饼", 天天饮食 
^ a b c Norman F. Haard, S.A. Odunfa,
Cherl-Ho Lee, R. Quintero-Ramírez,
Argelia Lorence-Quiñones, Carmen
Wacher-Radarte, Fermented Cereals: A
Global Perspective, Food and Agriculture
Organization, Rome, 1999, ISBN
92-5-104296-9.
^ Dilip K. Arora, Libero Ajello, K. G.
Mukerji, Handbook of Applied Mycology:
Foods and Feeds, Volume 3, CRC Press,
1991, ISBN 0-8247-8491-X.
