Food Fermented with Lactic Acid Bacteria and Its Immune-Related Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) possessing several applications such as probiotics, as microbial cell factories, can produce a variety of metabolites. Distinctive LAB species in unknown niches with applicable technological properties are vastly needed in the present time to be used in the food industry. Autochthonous starter cultures are advantageous over allochthonous in fermented food processing because of their better adaptation and performance potential for producing a diverse range of metabolites that usefully affect the sensorial, nutritional, and biological properties of fermented foods. These features make them suitable for extensive utilization as starter cultures, probiotics and in the production of important nutraceuticals and pharmacological constituents. These days, numerous studies are being conducted on lactic acid fermented foods with the objective to produce functional foods with improved beneficial effects. The present topic will focus on understanding the nutritional significance, pharmacological potential and adopted molecular mechanisms in immune system-related ailments.

The aim of this Special Issue of Microorganisms is to present a collection of articles that provide current research development in the field of food biotechnology. This topic welcomes original research and review articles in the field of fermented functional foods along with their pharmacological potential and other applications focusing on (but not limited to):

• Assessment of therapeutical efficacy of fermented foods and related mechanisms;
• Targeting specific signaling proteins;
• Targeting different signaling pathways involved in allergy, inflammation and immune-related ailments.

Dr. Hye–Jin Park
Guest Editors
Dr. Abdul Rehman Phull
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.