Lactobacilli: Application in Food Industry

Lactobacillus is an important class of Gram-positive, non-spore-forming bacteria for food industrial applications. The genus Lactobacillus is a potential candidate in fermentation technology for the production of fermented food, feed, and pharmaceutical products. The diverse features of Lactobacilli based on their capability to produce acids, enzymes, bacteriocins by fermenting carbohydrates. Lactobacilli have probiotic potential and therefore applied in dairy [cheese, yoghurt, fermented milk] and nondairy products such as sausages, juices as well as in animal feed in the form of starter culture. Among Lactobacilli, lactic acid-producing bacteria are applied as starter cultures in a variety of fermented foods. Lactobacilli are the natural microflora of the gastrointestinal tract and play a beneficial role against infections. The ability of Lactobacilli to produce bacteriocins and other antifungal compound lead to the development of bioprotective cultures for use in different foods. Bacteriocins has wide applications in food industries for preventing the attack of foodborne pathogens and for manufacturing active packaging materials. This chapter aimed to review significant industrial applications of Lactobacilli with specified strains and also starter cultures with their potential beneficial effects are engrossed. The chapter highlights the commercial applications of Lactobacilli in the food, feed, wine and pharmaceutical industries.