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Lactic Acid Bacteria: The Functions and Applications in Foods

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 6778

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qingping Zhong

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Guest Editor

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Safety and Quality, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Interests: lactic acid bacteria; bioactive compounds; probiotics; prebiotics; postbiotics; gut microbiota; antibacterial; quorum sensing; biofilm; foodborne pathogens

Prof. Dr. Zhenlin Liao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Interests: lactic acid bacteria; probiotics; prebiotics; metabolism; metabolic syndrome; gut microbiota; biological activities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), as natural microbiotas which can inhabit the human body, are generally recognized as safe, widely applied in the food industry, and have a long history. Previous works have proven that LAB not only improve the texture and taste of food but also exhibit a variety of biological activities, such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antihypertensive, cholesterol-lowering, antibiofilm, and antibacterial. LAB synthesize many natural and health-promoting compounds, including organic acids, bacteriocins, aromatic compounds, fatty acids, and exopolysaccharides in the fermentation process. Besides, the majority of LAB strains are used as probiotics which exert many functions, such as regulating the gut microbiota and enhancing the immune system. Furthermore, LAB and their fermentation products can be used to prepare postbiotics, which are formulations of lifeless microorganisms and/or their components that are beneficial to host health.

Prof. Dr. Qingping Zhong
Prof. Dr. Zhenlin Liao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

lactic acid bacteria
bioactive compounds
probiotics
prebiotics
postbiotics
gut microbiota
antibacterial
quorum sensing
biofilm

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Technological and Functional Characteristics of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Traditional Serbian Cheeses

by Tijana Ledina, Jasna Đorđević, Milica Glišić, Nikola Čobanović, Marija Kovandžić and Snežana Bulajić

Foods 2025, 14(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14010038 - 26 Dec 2024

Viewed by 426

Abstract

Owing to the rich diversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) microbiota, traditional Serbian white-brined cheeses can serve as a valuable source of LAB strains with promising technological and functional properties. This study aimed to identify potential candidates for developing commercial bacterial cultures, which could be used to produce cheese with distinct sensory qualities and added value as a functional food product. A total of 83 LAB isolates were tested for their ability to grow under different salt concentrations and temperatures; their acidifying, proteolytic, and lipolytic activities; and their production of diacetyl and exopolysaccharides (EPSs). Four strains, one Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and three Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, were the most promising candidates for further evaluation as adjunct cultures since they showed good resistance to environmental stresses, proteolytic activity, and the ability to produce diacetyl and EPSs. None of the strains was a promising candidate for application as a starter culture or for probiotic use. Further research is required to assess the potential of the isolates to demonstrate desirable characteristics when incorporated into a cheese matrix, primarily focusing on understanding their interaction with the cheese environment and behavior under various processing conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactic Acid Bacteria: The Functions and Applications in Foods)

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16 pages, 1973 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KABP051: Stability in Fruit Juices and Production of Bioactive Compounds During Their Fermentation

by Francesca Rizzi, Bibiana Juan, Jordi Espadaler-Mazo, Marta Capellas and Pol Huedo

Foods 2024, 13(23), 3851; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13233851 - 28 Nov 2024

Viewed by 602

Abstract

The lactic fermentation of fruit and vegetable juices by well-characterised probiotics remains relatively underexplored. We have investigated the stability and impact of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KABP051 fermentation on orange, apple, and peach juices by microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory evaluation means. For each fruit juice, three different samples were analysed: original fruit juice without probiotic as blank (B), fruit juice inoculated with 10⁷ CFU/mL of probiotic without fermentation (P), and fruit juice inoculated with 10⁷ CFU/mL of probiotic and fermented at 37 °C for 24 h (PF). P samples displayed good stability throughout the study, and PF samples showed an initial increase in CFUs accompanied by a change in pH, confirming the ability of the probiotic to ferment these juices. After 60 days of refrigeration, PF samples contained >10⁷ CFU/mL. Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were equivalent in F, P, and PF. Remarkably, deep metabolomic analyses confirmed malolactic fermentation and revealed the production of several bioactive compounds including the antimicrobial substance phenyllactic acid, the immunomodulatory and anti-fatigue amino acid N-acetyl glutamine, the vitamin B3 form nicotinic acid, the monoterpene (−)-β-pinene, and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, among others, during probiotic fermentation. Finally, a hedonic analysis involving 51 participants showed that probiotic fermented orange juice is well accepted by panellists, with scores comparable to those of the control juice. Overall, we here show that fruit juices are excellent carriers for the delivery of the probiotic L. plantarum KABP051 and its non-alcoholic fermentation can result in tasty functional fruit juices enriched with health-promoting compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactic Acid Bacteria: The Functions and Applications in Foods)

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13 pages, 2949 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Lactic Acid Bacteria Fermentation for Enhanced Summer and Autumn Tea Quality

by Xiaoli Mo, Yingyu Chen, Zhen Zeng, Sui Xiao and Yahui Huang

Foods 2024, 13(19), 3126; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13193126 - 30 Sep 2024

Viewed by 993

Abstract

The level of consumption of summer tea is a problem in the development of China’s tea industry. Current strategies to enhance the quality of summer and autumn teas primarily _target the cultivation environment, with less emphasis on processing improvements. This study aimed to optimize the fermentation parameters to impact the quality of summer and autumn teas. We screened four strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) suitable for tea fermentation and determined their optimal mix. This optimized blend was applied to ferment summer and autumn teas. Through single-factor experiments, we evaluated the impact of various processing parameters, including the fixation method, rolling degree, inoculation amount, glucose concentration, fermentation temperature, and fermentation duration, on LAB growth and tea quality. The optimal processing conditions were established as microwave fixation, heavy rolling, an inoculation rate of 1.8% LAB, glucose addition at 8.8%, and fermentation at 36.5 °C for five days. Analysis revealed that the fermentation process significantly reduced the levels of polyphenols and ester-type catechins, which are associated with astringency and bitterness while enhancing the content of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Specifically, after five days, polyphenol content decreased by 26.89%, and GABA levels increased from 0.051 mg/g to 0.126 mg/g. The predominant aroma compounds in the fermented tea were alcohols with floral and fruity scents, constituting 54.63% of the total aroma profile. This research presents a methodical approach to reduce the astringency and bitterness of summer and autumn teas while concurrently increasing GABA levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactic Acid Bacteria: The Functions and Applications in Foods)

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17 pages, 5057 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insight into the Probiogenomic Potential of Enterococcus faecium BGPAS1-3 and Application of a Potent Thermostable Bacteriocin

by Nikola Popović, Katarina Veljović, Dušan Radojević, Emilija Brdarić, Dušan Stevanović, Milica Živković and Milan Kojić

Foods 2024, 13(16), 2637; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13162637 - 22 Aug 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1193

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the probiogenomic features of artisanal bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus faecium BGPAS1-3 and the use of the improved pMALc5HisEk expression vector for overexpressing class II bacteriocins and the application of purified bacteriocin 31 in a milk model as a preservative against L. monocytogenes. The BGPAS1-3 strain was isolated from traditional fresh soft cheese manufactured in households on a small scale in rural locations surrounding Pale Mountain City in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The whole-genome sequencing approach and bioinformatics analyses revealed that the strain BGPAS1-3 was non-pathogenic to humans. The presence of bacteriocin operons suggested the ability of the isolate to suppress the growth of pathogens. Coding regions for three maturated bacteriocins (bacteriocin 31, bacteriocin 32, and enterocin P) produced by BGPAS1-3 were amplified and expressed in Escherichia coli ER2523 using the pMALc5HisEk system. All three bacteriocins were successfully overexpressed and purified after enterokinase cleavage but showed different antimicrobial activity. Bacteriocin 31 showed significantly stronger antimicrobial activity compared with bacteriocin 32. It was the only one that proved to be suitable for use as a food preservative against L. monocytogenes in a milk model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactic Acid Bacteria: The Functions and Applications in Foods)

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19 pages, 3724 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anti-Biofilm Effects of Z102-E of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum against Listeria monocytogenes and the Mechanism Revealed by Transcriptomic Analysis

by Jinyuan Wei, Xingguo Zhang, Mohamedelfatieh Ismael and Qingping Zhong

Foods 2024, 13(16), 2495; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13162495 - 8 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1293

Abstract

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the most common probiotics, and they present excellent inhibitory effects on pathogenic bacteria. This study aimed to explore the anti-biofilm potential of the purified active substance of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, named Z102-E. The effects of Z102-E on Listeria monocytogenes were investigated in detail, and a transcriptomic analysis was conducted to reveal the anti-biofilm mechanism. The results indicated that the sub-MIC of Z102-E (3.2, 1.6, and 0.8 mg/mL) decreased the bacterial growth and effectively reduced the self-aggregation, surface hydrophobicity, sugar utilization, motility, biofilm formation, AI-2 signal molecule, contents of extracellular polysaccharides, and extracellular protein of L. monocytogenes. Moreover, the inverted fluorescence microscopy observation confirmed the anti-biofilm effect of Z102-E. The transcriptomic analysis indicated that 117 genes were up-regulated and 214 were down-regulated. Z102-E regulated the expressions of genes related to L. monocytogenes quorum sensing, biofilm formation, etc. These findings suggested that Z102-E has great application potential as a natural bacteriostatic agent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactic Acid Bacteria: The Functions and Applications in Foods)

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21 pages, 1130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lactic Acid Fermentation Ameliorates Intrinsic Toxicants in Brassica campestris L. Leaves Harvested at Different Growth Stages

by Muhammad Younis, Saeed Akhtar, Tariq Ismail, Muhammad Qamar, Dur-e-shahwar Sattar, Wisha Saeed, Mohammad S. Mubarak, Elena Bartkiene and João Miguel Rocha

Foods 2024, 13(12), 1826; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13121826 - 11 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1436

Abstract

Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) is often known as mustard and is grown worldwide owing to its health-promoting characteristics associated with the presence of nutrients and phytochemicals. Along with the nutritional components, B. campestris also contains anti-nutrients (phytates, oxalates, tannins, alkaloids, saponins) that can cause adverse severe health effects to consumers, including rashes, nausea, headaches, bloating and nutritional deficiencies. In the present study, heating (blanching) and fermentation (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) treatments were applied to reduce the load of the anti-nutrients of B. campestris leaves harvested at three different growth stages: the first stage (fourth week), the second stage (sixth week) and the third stage (eighth week). Results revealed that fermentation treatment using Lp. plantarum increases the ash (5.4 to 6%), protein (9 to 10.4%) and fiber (9.6 to 10.7%) contents, whereas moisture (0.91 to 0.82%), fat (9.9 to 9.1%) and carbohydrate (64.5 to 64.2%) contents decreased among B. campestris samples, and the trend was similar for all three stages. Blanching and fermentation lead to the reduction in phytates (46, 42%), saponins (34, 49%), tannins (1, 10%), oxalates (15, 7%) and alkaloids (10, 6%), separately as compared to raw samples of B. campestris leaves. In contrast, fermentation had no considerable effect on phytochemical contents (total phenolic and total flavonoids) and antioxidant potential (DPPH and FRAP). The action of blanching followed by fermentation caused more decline in the aforementioned toxicants load as compared to blanching or fermentation alone. Structural modifications in blanching and the biochemical conversions in fermentation lead to enhanced stability of nutrients and antioxidant potential. Taken together, these findings suggest blanching followed by fermentation treatments as a reliable, cost-effective and safer approach to curtail the anti-nutrient load without affecting the proximate composition, phytochemical attributes and antioxidant activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lactic Acid Bacteria: The Functions and Applications in Foods)

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