Bibliographic summary of lactic acid bacteria and their relationship with human health

Abstract

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a heterogeneous group of bacteria that play an important role in a variety of fermentation processes. They ferment dietary carbohydrates and produce lactic acid as the main product of fermentation. In addition, the degradation of proteins and fats and the production of various alcohols, aldehydes, acids, esters and sulfur compounds contribute to the development of the specific flavor in various fermented food products. The main application of LAB is as starter farms, with a large variety of fermented dairy products (e.g. cheese, yoghurt, fermented milk), meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and grain products. Furthermore, they contribute to the flavour, texture and nutritional value of fermented foods and are therefore used as adjuvant cultures. Examples include accelerating cheese ripening, improving yoghurt texture through the production of exogenous sugars and controlling secondary fermentation in wine production. The production of bacteria and antifungal compounds has led to the application of bioprotective cultures in some foods. Furthermore, the well-documented health-promoting properties of some lactobacilli in association with bifidobacteria .