higher consistency and viscosity of the product and reduced syneresis . However, most of them are chemically or
enzymatically modified in order to improve their rheological properties (e.g., cellulose, starch, pectin, alginate, and
carrageenan) and, therefore, their use is strongly restricted for food applications. An alternative source of biopolymers
is microbial EPS. The EPS of microbial origin have unique rheological properties because of their capability of forming
very viscous solutions at low concentration and their pseudoplastic nature. Some strains of LAB have been reported to produce EPS and gain increasing attention over the last few years because of their contribution to the rheology and texture of fermented milk and food products . Most of the LAB producing EPS belong to the genera Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, and Pediococcus . EPS-producing LAB have a greater ability to technological stresses and survive the passage through the gastrointestinal tract compared to their nonproducing bacteria. Additionally, EPS may induce positive physiological responses including lower cholesterol levels , reduce formation of pathogenic biofilms and modulation of adhesion to epithelial cells , and increase levels of bifidobacteria showing prebiotic potential . Hence, the choice of EPS-producing starter culture seems to give several advantages over nonproducing ones.