## 1 Introduction
This includes effects upon taste and aroma, via: (i) esterase and lipase activities, associated with production of volatile compounds, e.g., alcohols, glycerol, higher alcohols, esters, and free fatty acids [12]; (ii) \(\beta\)-glucosidase activity, able to degrade polyphenols that aid in debittering [11]; and (iii) capacity to (under aerobic conditions) take up lactic and acetic acids, produced during fermentation or added for final storage [13]. They can also enhance the growth of LAB due to their ability to synthesize such compounds as vitamins, amino acids, and purines; as well as to break down complex carbohydrates to smaller sugars, essential for the growth of (nutritionally fastidious) _Lactobacillus_[14]. The production of table olives worldwide is regulated by the International Oil Council--the only intergovernmental organization in the field [15]. Among the 2.96 million tons of table olives produced in 2019/20, the largest world producers were: European Union (26.0%), Egypt (22.0%), Turkey (14.0%), Algeria (11.0%), and Morocco (4.6%). Within the European Union (771.0 thousand tons), Spain (59.4%), Greece (28.8%), Italy (7.8%), and Portugal (3.2%) account for most production--with Cyprus, France, and Croatia contributing residuals amounts. In addition to belonging to the top-five group of producers of table olives in Europe, Portugal has been steadily expanding; for instance, its production in 2017 was four-fold that in 2000. In addition, structural changes have taken place over the latest decade; from a traditional and hardly competitive activity, Tras-os-Montes (Northeast of Portugal) has stepped up and is now second only to Alentejo [16] in table olive production. _Cobranosa_ is native to Tras-os-Montes and known for the consistency of its pulp--a textural requirement for effective preservation and consumption as table olives. The demand for table olives has meanwhile doubled, probably owing to an ever-increasing proportion of health-aware consumers [15]. This has come along with a massive investment in the planting of new olive trees, with ca. EUR 675 million funded within the 2014-2020 period by the Rural Development Program (PDR2020, Portugal). Only _Negrinha do Freixo_ has to date earned a PDO status--but the textural and sensory advantages of _Cobrancosa_ fully justify their receiving a similar status [17]. When searching for terms (\"Portugal\" OR \"Portuguese\") AND \"table olives\" in the published literature (Title, Abstract, and Keywords) listed in databases such as SCOPUS, Science Direct, and PubMed, a total of 50 documents can be found; however, only 7 are research articles related to Northeast _Cobrancosa_ table olives, concerning physicochemical and nutritional [18], sensory [18; 19; 20], volatile and phenolic profiles, and antioxidant activity [19; 21; 22; 23; 24]. However, none of these studies describe technological recipes for processing of this cultivar, and thus putative implications upon microbiological, physicochemical, and biochemical profiles throughout the fermentation period. Therefore, the present study is the first consistent research work dealing with the characterization of the processing method of and native LAB strains from _Cobrancosa_ table olives. It is hoped that our results provide a useful scientific and technical contribution--not only to the fundamental understanding of the basic dynamics prevailing during fermentation but also to the design of a dedicated starter culture that may eventually support the establishment of a _Caltier d'Eclarges_ for the granting of a PDO label.