Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria: Functional and Safety Characterization and Employment in the Production of Probiotic (Fermented) Foods and Beverages

Dear Colleagues,

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a heterogenous group of microorganisms that share the ability to produce lactic acid as the main product of sugar fermentation. These bacteria play a pivotal role in the production of fermented foods. Besides their technological role, many strains of LAB also possess probiotic attributes. Several species of food-associated LAB have obtained QPS status, which is the European equivalent of the United States’ Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status. However, some LAB strains act as opportunistic pathogens, prompting the need for a thorough safety evaluation for each strain intended for use as a probiotic or producer of postbiotics.  In this Special Issue, we invite researchers to send contributions concerning any aspects related to the functional and safety characterization of lactic acid bacteria and their use to produce probiotic (fermented) foods and beverages.

Dr. Vincenzina Fusco
Dr. Francesca Fanelli
Dr. Daniele Chieffi
Guest Editors

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• lactic acid bacteria
• fermented foods and beverages
• probiotics
• safety assessment
• genomics