EN
The growth of lactic acid bacteria during liquid-state fermentation of buckwheat flour and changes in pH during the process were analyzed. Eight strains of Lactobacillus were selected as the most active strains used to obtain new fermented fl ours. Physical properties of buckwheat water biscuits formulated from these fermented fl ours were studied. The hardness of freshly prepared biscuits was affected by the lactic acid bacteria applied, with its highest value noted for the water biscuits made of buckwheat fl our fermented by L. plantarum IB. Signifi cantly greater differences in hardness values of water biscuits were noted after 24 h storage. Moreover, water biscuits made of the fermented fl ours were lighter and had a higher browning index as compared to the control biscuits prepared from unfermented buckwheat flour. The obtained results demonstrate the feasibility of selecting lactic acid bacteria for the fermentation of buckwheat flour focusing on some physical properties of the water biscuits.