Abstract
Research on lactic acid bacteria has confirmed how specific strains possess probiotic properties and impart unique sensory characteristics to food products. The use of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in many food products, thus confers various health benefits to humans when they are frequently consumed in adequate amounts. The advent of functional food or the concept of nutraceuticals objectively places more emphasis on seeking alternatives to limit the use of medications thus promoting the regular consumption of fermented foods. Probiotic use has thus been recommended to fulfill the role of nutraceuticals, as no side effects on human health have been reported. Probiotics and lactic acid bacteria can boost and strengthen the human immune system, thereby increasing its resistance against numerous disease conditions. Consumer safety and confidence in dairy and fermented food products and the desire of the food industry to meet the sensory and health needs of consumers, has thus increased the demand for probiotic starter cultures with exceptional performance coupled with health benefiting properties. The potential of probiotic cultures and lactic acid bacteria in many industrial applications including fermented food products generally affects product characteristics and also serves as health-promoting foods for humans. The alleviation of lactose intolerance in many populations globally has been one of the widely accepted health claims attributed to probiotics and lactic acid bacteria, although many diseases have been treated with probiotic lactic acid bacteria and have been proven with scientific and clinical studies. The aim of our review was to present information related to lactic acid bacteria, the new classification and perspectives on industrial applications with a special emphasis on food safety and human health.
Highlights
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are important microorganisms that mainly produce lactic acid as a by-product during metabolic activities
Because lactic acid bacteria naturally produces bacteriocins that aid in food bio-preservation, they function as the antagonistic, inhibitory, and antimicrobial defense system that acts against pathogens and spoilage microorganisms [3]
Another study confirmed a significant decrease in the cognitive reaction to the mood of sadness in healthy humans, when doses of a mix of different species consisting of L. acidophilus W37, L. brevis W, L. casei W5, Bifidobacterium bifidum W2, B. lactis W, Lactococcus lactis (W19 and W58), and L. salivarius W2 were administered [151]
Summary
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are important microorganisms that mainly produce lactic acid as a by-product during metabolic activities. Lactic acid bacteria possess therapeutic properties that are vital for human health enhancement. Lactic acid bacteria produce organic acids and other metabolites that enhance flavor development in food, prevent spoilage, and are very useful in many applications, especially in the food and dairy industry. Because lactic acid bacteria naturally produces bacteriocins that aid in food bio-preservation, they function as the antagonistic, inhibitory, and antimicrobial defense system that acts against pathogens and spoilage microorganisms [3]. Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host Probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria work by promoting and maintaining a strong human immune system. Lactic acid bacteria, their classification and perspectives on industrial applications with a special focus on food safety and therapeutic benefits to human health was elucidated
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