## 3 Results and Discussion  
### Acidity and Microbiological and Chromaticity Characteristics of Lentil Wholemeal Samples  
The pH values, chromaticity characteristics, and LAB viable counts of lentil samples are presented in Table 1. Comparing the pH values of non-fermented LR and L sample groups (SM and SS), higher pH values were observed in LR sample groups. However, after 24 and 48 h of SMF, the opposite tendencies were established; i.e., L samples showed lower pH values than LR groups. SSF conditions were more effective in reducing the pH values of L samples; however, when comparing SSF L and LR sample groups, lower pH values were attained in L sample groups (after 24 and 48 h of SSF). In both sample groups (LR and L) under both conditions (SMF and SSF), the pH values decreased between 24 and 48 h of fermentation. Despite the pH differences in non-fermented samples (between CLRSM and CLRSM; CLRSS and CLRSS), significant differences in LAB viable counts were found only between CLRSM and CLRSM samples. Contrasting non-fermented samples (CLRSM, CLRSS, CLRSM, and CLRSS), LAB viable counts were, on average, 4.67 log\({}_{10}\) CFU/g. In comparison, for LAB numbers in different lentil sample groups (LR and L) with the same treatment, significant differences were also inexistent, and, in both sample groups (SMF and SSF), higher LAB viable counts were detected after 48 h of fermentation, with an average value of 8.23 log\({}_{10}\) CFU/g. The analysed factors (type of fermentation and fermentation duration) and the interaction of growing conditions * fermentation duration were significant (\(p\) = 0.005,The fermentation of leguminous crops can provide probioticotic benefits in foods [13]. Moreover, it was reported that SSF is more commonly used for various biological conversion of substrates, because of its higher efficiency [40]. Our study showed that all the analysed factors (type of fermentation, growing conditions, and fermentation duration) and their interactions were significant (\(p<0.001\)) on the pH values of lentil samples (see supplementary file: Table S1). The results also showed that, in all of the fermented lentil samples, LAB viable counts were higher than 6.0 log\({}_{10}\) CFU/g; such a number of desirable microorganisms may ensure the probiotic properties of foodstuffs, if the strains used for fermentation are probiotics (which is the case here). The carbohydrate metabolism of _P. acidilactici_ strain was studied in 47 different carbon sources, and this strain demonstrated fermentation activity for 20 out of 47 tested carbohydrates [34]. Additionally, the optimal growth temperature for this strain was 30 \({}^{\circ}\)C. This characteristic can explain the differences in the fermentation activity of the _P. acidilactici_ strain reported in the study of [PERSON] et al. [13], who found that, for _P. acidilactici_ (provided by Lallemand Animal Nutrition-North America, Milwaukee, WI, USA), the exponential growth in lentil flour was observed between 6 and 24 h in SMF conditions. In addition, the pH decreased significantly during the first 24 h of fermentation, and the microbial population attained the highest value during this time period [13]. Throughout fermentation, the low pH of the substrate can damage both the non-desirable and desirable microorganism's cell wall and cell membrane [41]. LAB adaptation to low pH conditions depends on their phenotype characteristics and other conditions under which cells are exposed to stress [42]. The molecular mechanisms of LAB adaptation and habituation to stress may overlap to a certain degree, but they are not completely identical [34]. This may explain the different results reported in distinct LAB species for the fermentation effectiveness parameters. However, the pH values and the number of LAB are the main characteristics of fermentation efficiency. This study showed that _P. acidilactici_