Lactic Acid Bacteria in Food Fermentation and Biotechnology

Dear Colleagues,

Lactic acid bacteria have accompanied humans throughout ages and across civilizations as the agents that drive the biotransformation of raw materials of plant and animal origin, such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, milk and meat, into products with enhanced palatability, nutritional value and shelf-life. Recently, the biotechnological potential of lactic acid bacteria has also been unfolded; their utilization as cell factories for the production of a wide range of metabolites, such as vitamins, bioactive peptides and biosurfactants, is currently under intensive investigation.

The recent conceptual and technological advances in the field of molecular biology and the introduction of novel approaches have enhanced our understanding of every aspect of lactic acid bacteria subsistence. Indeed, a more thorough microecosystem characterization has been achieved through the combination of taxonomic and metabolomic assessment, the impact of each metabolically active member of a lactic-acid-fermenting microcommunity has been revealed and the evaluation of the biotechnological potential of isolates has been accelerated. The aim of this Special Issue is to create a collection of articles that improve our understanding, update current knowledge, and identify research gaps regarding the use of lactic acid bacteria in food fermentation and biotechnology.

Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

• Starter Cultures and Fermentation Processes: Advances in the selection, optimization, and application of lactic acid bacteria as starter cultures in various food fermentation processes, such as dairy, meat, vegetable, and cereal fermentation;
• Metabolic Diversity and Pathways: Exploration of the metabolic diversity and pathways of lactic acid bacteria, including their production of organic acids, exopolysaccharides, and antimicrobial compounds;
• Biotechnological Applications: Innovative biotechnological applications of lactic acid bacteria, including their use in the production of functional foods, probiotics, bioactive compounds, and biofuels；
• Health Benefits and Functional Properties: Research on the health-promoting properties and functional benefits of lactic acid bacteria, including their role in gut health, immunity, and disease prevention;
• Genomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics, and Systems Biology: Insights from genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and systems biology approaches to unravel the genetic, molecular, and physiological mechanisms underlying the functional properties of lactic acid bacteria.

Dr. Spiros Paramithiotis
Guest Editor

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• genomics
• transcriptomics
• metabolomics
• cell factories
• bioactive compounds