PURPOSE:To impart unique flavor, aroma, sense of eating and good preservation quality to a panetone, by using a novel strain of the genus Lactobacillus as one microorganism in a mold starter for Italian cake panetone. CONSTITUTION:A novel strain Lactobacillus comoensis (FERM-P No.9022) belonging to the genus Lactobacillus is used together with Saccharomyces exiguus and Lactobacillus sanfrancisco as a mold starter for Italian cake panetone to produce the panetone by a conventional method.