Lactobacillus in the Dairy Industry: From Natural Diversity to Biopreservation Resources
Biopreservation, defined as the extension of shelf life and enhanced safety of foods by the use of natural or controlled microbiota and/or antimicrobial compounds, is an innocuous and ecological approach to the problem of food preservation and has gained
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Lactobacillus in the Dairy Industry: From Natural Diversity to Biopreservation Resources Stella M. Reginensi, Jorge A. Olivera, Jorge Bermúdez, and Marcela J. González
Abstract
Biopreservation, defined as the extension of shelf life and enhanced safety of foods by the use of natural or controlled microbiota and/or antimicrobial compounds, is an innocuous and ecological approach to the problem of food preservation and has gained increasing attention in recent years. Fermentation of food by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is one of the oldest forms of biopreservation practiced by mankind, not only to enhance the hygienic quality but also to minimize the impact of the nutritional and organoleptic properties of perishable food products. Lactobacillus spp. are Gram-positive rod bacteria belonging to the LAB group. Their phenotypic traits, such as homo-/heterofermentation abilities, play a crucial role in souring raw milk and in the production of fermented dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and fermented milk (including probiotics). Either as starter, as adjunct cultures, or as probiotics, Lactobacillus strains are used as food preservatives not only to prevent the development of food spoilage but also to give consumers a health benefit. Some lactobacilli produce bacteriocins, proteins active against other bacteria. In recent years, the interest in these compounds has grown substantially due to their potential usefulness as natural substitute for chemical food preservatives in the production of foods with enhanced shelf life and/or safety. Bacteriocins can be incorporated directly into fermented foods, or indirectly by using a bacteriocin-producing strain, as a starter or adjunct culture. As the consumers’ interest in natural and healthy foods increases, LAB are currently playing a key role in the development of new products that may respond to this demand.
S.M. Reginensi (*) • J.A. Olivera • J. Bermúdez • M.J. González Facultad de Agronomía, Unidad de Tecnología de los Alimentos, Universidad de la República, Garzón 780, Montevideo, CP 12900, Uruguay e-mail: [email protected] © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016 S. Castro-Sowinski (ed.), Microbial Models: From Environmental to Industrial Sustainability, Microorganisms for Sustainability 1, DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-2555-6_4
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Introduction
Foods are plants or animals (or their products) that contain essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, and are ingested and assimilated by an organism to produce energy, stimulate growth, and maintain life. Foods often contain many types of microorganisms that may show properties involved in the production or conversion of foods. The preservation of foods, including the use of otherwise perishable raw materials, has been used by man since the Neolithic period (around 10,000 years BC) (Prajapati and Nair 2008). The role of a single bacterium, “Bacterium lactis” (Lactococcus lactis), in fermented milk was described in 1877 by Sir John Lister (Sant
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