lactobacilli : Their Role and Importance in Contemporary Food and Pharmaceutical Industry Past-Present-Future

Biofermentation of otherwise called biotransformation process has been a heavily exploited and vastly researched field of biochemical engineering science. Throughout the the years, especially during the last decades, a great number of of microbial groups has been tested for the production of commonly used chemicals. Due to the forecasted scarcity of petrol, an effort has been done to replace the production of chemicals deriving from petrochemical feedstocks, with fermentation. A group of bacteria that has being widely investigated due to their abilities are Lactic acifd Bacteria (LAB), especially Lactobacilli . These microorganisms have been widely used in today’s food, chemical and pharmaceutical industry.<br><br>These bacteria have numerous features, which are based on their main ability to ferment complex carbohydrates such as the production of acids, enzymes and natural antimicrobial substances called bacteriocins. Currently, they are principally used as natural acidifiers for the inoculation of bulk quantities of milk and vegetables in order to produce a variety of fermented products. some of the most important uses of Lactobacilli in the industry will be reviewed. The production of lactic acid and lantibiotics through the usage of modern fermentation technology, shall be highlighted