Lactic Acid Bacteria in Sustainable Food Production

Kamila Rachwał and Klaudia Gustaw ()
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Kamila Rachwał: Department of Biotechnology, Microbiology and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Life Science in Lublin, 8 Skromna Street, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
Klaudia Gustaw: Department of Biotechnology, Microbiology and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Life Science in Lublin, 8 Skromna Street, 20-704 Lublin, Poland

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-29

Abstract: The main tenets of the sustainable food production model are to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of production and to use available resources more efficiently. The sustainable food production model allows companies to adapt their strategies to current challenges and requirements while maintaining long-term production stability and competitiveness. To ensure that sustainable food chain participants implement appropriate practices, research is being conducted to develop new solutions. Among the important issues that are of great interest to researchers is the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). These bacteria play a pivotal role in sustainable food production, encompassing environmental, economic, and social aspects. The following article highlights recent innovations and advancements in LAB applications, contributing to enhanced efficiency and sustainable development of food products. By fermenting food, LAB effectively enhances food safety, prolong shelf life, and augment nutritional values, while simultaneously eliminating or outcompeting foodborne pathogens, thus preventing food poisoning. This article underscores these often-overlooked aspects of LAB, such as the critical role of fermented food in sustaining humanity during challenging times, by providing essential nutrients, and supporting health through its unique preservative and probiotic properties. It also points out the lesser-known applications of these microorganisms, including the degradation of organic waste or biogas and bioplastics production.

Keywords: lactic acid bacteria; sustainable food production; food waste management; LAB; food safety; shelf-life extension; organic waste valorization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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