Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have a long history of applications in the food industry for fermentation and preservation. This feature is due to their metabolic products that can improve the nutritional and sensory characteristics of foods as well as their antimicrobial compounds that contribute to extend the shelf life of food products. Some emerging technologies including pulsed electric fields (PEF), power ultrasound (US), high-pressure processing (HPP), ultraviolet (UV), and microwave (MW) have attracted great attention for their implementation in the food industry as mild processing technologies. They have the advantage of efficiently inactivating the microorganisms, along with maintaining the fresh attributes of the food products. When applied at a sub-lethal level, these technologies present the potential to enhance several processes, such as improved microbial growth and fermentation conditions, as well as modified metabolic properties of LAB. This review covers the characteristics of LAB and their applications in the food industry. It discusses the impacts of emerging technologies on these microorganisms, with a special focus on microbial inactivation, growth stimulation, and improvement of the beneficial features of LAB by emerging technologies.
Keywords: Emerging technologies; Fermentation; Inactivation; Lactic acid bacteria; Microbial stimulation.
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