Metabolites of lactic acid bacteria – overview and industrial applications

Lactic acid bacteria are one of the most commonly found microorganisms in food. One of the reasons behind their popularity are their probiotic properties. Lactic acid bacteria produce a wide range of metabolites which often find use as antimicrobial agents or preservatives. The efficacy and efficiency of these compounds are vastly different. The most promising group of lactic acid bacteria metabolites are bacteriocins. However, there are crucial issues with the application of bacteriocins in the food industry. The goal of this study was to provide an overview of the lactic acid bacteria metabolites most commonly used in industry.

1. Introduction. 2. Lactic acid bacteria. 2.1. Homofermentation. 2.2. Heterofermentation. 3. Metabolites of lactic acid bacteria. 3.1. Organic acids. 3.2. Diacetyl. 3.3. Hydrogen peroxide. 3.4. Carbon dioxide. 3.5. Bacteriocins. 3.5.1. Characteristics of bacteriocins. 3.5.2. Classification of bacteriocins. 3.5.3. Issues with the application of bacteriocins in the food industry. 4. Conclusion