Abstract
Fermentation processes have been used for centuries for food production and preservation. Besides the contribution of fermentation to food quality, recently, scientific interest in the beneficial nature of fermented foods as a reservoir of probiotic candidates is increasing. Fermented food microbes are gaining attention for their health-promoting potential and for being genetically related to human probiotic bacteria. Among them, Lactiplantibacillus (Lpb.) plantarum strains, with a long history in the food industry as starter cultures in the production of a wide variety of fermented foods, are being investigated for their beneficial properties which are similar to those of probiotic strains, and they are also applied in clinical interventions. Food-associated Lpb. plantarum showed a good adaptation and adhesion ability in the gastro-intestinal tract and the potential to affect host health through various beneficial activities, e.g., antimicrobial, antioxidative, antigenotoxic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory, in several in vitro and in vivo studies. This review provides an overview of fermented-associated Lpb. plantarum health benefits with evidence from clinical studies. Probiotic criteria that fermented-associated microbes need to fulfil are also reported.
Highlights
Traditional fermented foods are a rich reservoir of live and active microbes; they are considered the main source of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in nature [1]
We summarized the latest in vitro, in vivo and clinical evidence for the health-promoting properties of food-borne Lpb. plantarum strains
The origin of microorganisms is becoming less of a criterion for probiotic selection, and new evidence points to fermented foods as a rich source of live and active bacteria
Summary
Traditional fermented foods are a rich reservoir of live and active microbes; they are considered the main source of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in nature [1]. Besides their nutritional properties, fermented foods are garnering more attention for the microbes that they carry. Lpb. plantarum strains have been used in the food industry as starter cultures in the production of cheeses, olives and a wide variety of fermented foods and beverages, contributing to their organoleptic properties, flavor and texture [8]. The impact of the consumption of these food-dominant strains on the host, either when consumed directly or as a part of a fermented food, is still unclear. As will be discussed throughout the literature review, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains isolated from foods sources have been shown to display properties similar to those of therapeutic probiotic strains
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