About this Research Topic

Background

The role of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) within the food and beverage manufacturing is well-established, spanning the sectors of fermented vegetables, wine and beer, milk-based products, fermented meat and fish, etc. Their employ is not limited to the transformation of substrates and product preservation, but their role is increasingly recognized in enhancing nutritional and functional properties because of bioactive molecules production. In addition, many fermented foods and beverages contain live microbial cells that may contribute to the well-being of the microbiota, balancing the number of potential pathogens and improving gut epithelium functionality through Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) production.

The present Research Topic intends to provide an update on the processing performed by LAB, with special consideration to the industrial production, in order to highlight pros and cons of their use. In particular, the role of strains able to improve the nutritional and functional properties of food and beverage, also by potentiating the bioactive components of the matrix, is sought.

We welcome authors to contribute with their knowledge and expertise to further elucidate the relationship between the LAB application into industry and food quality, safety and health promoting features, including:

• LAB diversity in foods.
• LAB for controlling food pathogens and alterative microorganisms.
• LAB enhancing bioactive molecules or mitigating detrimental components.
• LAB and modulation of bioaccessibility/bioavailability.
• Probiotic features of LAB strains.
• LAB strains with health-promoting features for the production of functional foods and beverage.
• LAB and predictive microbiology.
• LAB and food quality.
• Genes related to technological and functional features for an industrial application.

Keywords: Fermentation processes, product preservation, food quality, food safety, health promoting features

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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