page_title: Biopreservation
section_title: Lactic acid bacteria
hierarchical_section_title: Biopreservation / Biopreservative agents and modes of action / Lactic acid bacteria
caption_attribution_description: English: This figure illustrates the pathway of food preservation followed by lactic acid bacteria involving Nisin, as well as the pathway of food preservation followed by salt. Additionally, the hurdle effect of food preservation, such as by adding lactic acid bacteria and salt to a food product, is illustrated and described. References: Adams, Martin R., Maurice O. Moss, and Peter McClure.&#160;Food Microbiology. 4th ed. N.p.: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2014. Print. "Lactic Acid Bacteria - Their Uses in Food."&#160;EUFIC. The European Food Information Council, Jan. 2016. Web. 26 Nov. 2016. Parish, Mickey. "How Do Salt and Sugar Prevent Microbial Spoilage?"&#160;Scientific American. Scientific American, a Division of Nature America, Inc., 17 Feb. 2006. Web. 27 Nov. 2016. Soomro, Aijaz Hussain, Tariq Masud, and Anwaar Kiran. "Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) in Food Preservation and Human Health – A Review."&#160;ResearchGate. Asian Network for Science Information, Jan. 2002. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
context_page_description: Biopreservation is the use of natural or controlled microbiota or antimicrobials as a way of preserving food and extending its shelf life. The biopreservation of food, especially utilizing lactic acid bacteria that are inhibitory to food spoilage microbes, has been practiced since early ages, at first unconsciously but eventually with an increasingly robust scientific foundation. Beneficial bacteria or the fermentation products produced by these bacteria are used in biopreservation to control spoilage and render pathogens inactive in food. There are a various modes of action through which microorganisms can interfere with the growth of others such as organic acid production, resulting in a reduction of pH and the antimicrobial activity of the un-dissociated acid molecules, a wide variety of small inhibitory molecules including hydrogen peroxide, etc. It is a benign ecological approach which is gaining increasing attention.
context_section_description: Of special interest are lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Lactic acid bacteria have antagonistic properties which make them particularly useful as biopreservatives. When LABs compete for nutrients, their metabolites often include active antimicrobials such as lactic and acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and peptide bacteriocins. Some LABs produce the antimicrobial nisin which is a particularly effective preservative. 
  
  These days LAB bacteriocins are used as an integral part of hurdle technology. Using them in combination with other preservative techniques can effectively control spoilage bacteria and other pathogens, and can inhibit the activities of a wide spectrum of organisms, including inherently resistant Gram-negative bacteria." Lactic acid bacteria and propionibacteria have been extensively studied for their efficiency against spoilage causing yeasts and molds in food spoilage.
caption: [7][8][9][10] This figure illustrates the pathway of food preservation followed by lactic acid bacteria involving nisin, as well as the pathway of food preservation followed by salt.  Additionally, the hurdle effect of food preservation, such as by adding lactic acid bacteria and salt to a food product, is illustrated and described.
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