Fermented Foodstuff

A fermented foodstuff composition for human consumption, the foodstuff composition being prepared by the fermentation of a foodstuff substrate with a lactic acid producing bacteria, the lactic acid bacteria being characterised by:

• a) being viable under the conditions prevailing in the human gastrointestinal tract;
• b) being a bacteria capable of aggregating and/or coaggregating with one or more pathogens;
• and
• c) being able to produce upon fermentation in the foodstuff substrate lactic acid in an amount of at least a minimum inhibitory concentration of lactic acid.

An inoculant for the preparation of a fermented human foodstuff from a foodstuff substrate, the inoculant comprising a viable culture of a lactic acid producing bacteria having the following characteristics:

• a) being viable under the conditions prevailing in the human gastrointestinal tract;
• b) being a bacteria capable of aggregating and/or co-aggregating with one or more pathogens;
• and
• c) being able to produce upon fermentation in the foodstuff substrate lactic acid in an amount of at least a minimum inhibitory concentration of lactic acid.

A method for preparing a fermented foodstuff composition for human consumption, the method comprising fermenting a foodstuff substrate with a lactic acid producing bacteria, the lactic acid bacteria being characterised by:

• a) being viable under the conditions prevailing in the human gastrointestinal tract;
• b) being an aggregating bacteria and/or co-aggregating with one or more pathogenic bacteria;
• and
• c) being able to produce upon fermentation in the foodstuff substrate lactic acid in an amount of at least a minimum inhibitory concentration of lactic acid.