Lactic acid bacteria antimicrobial substances

III. Antimicrobial Substances Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria... 

III. ANTIMICROBIAL SUBSTANCES PRODUCED BY LACTIC ACID BACTERIA... 

Bacteriocins are defined as proteinaceous substances having an antimicrobial effect against closely related species. Strains among Lactobacillus and Pediococcus spp. form bacteriocins that are effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Both are regarded as potential health risks in meat products. A recent review article by Stiles and Hastings (1991) covers the subject on the potential use of lactic acid bacteria in meat preservation. 

Daeschel, M.A. (1989) Antimicrobial substances from lactic acid bacteria for use as food preservatives. Food Technol. 43, 164-167. 

The succession of bacterial species during alcoholic fermentation can be explained by a difference in the sensitivity of bacteria to interactions with yeasts. Interactions between lactic acid bacteria must also exist, simultaneously. Like other microorganisms, they can synthesize and liberate substances with antimicrobial activities. This problem has been examined closely in the milk industry, where the consequences are more serious. These substances are simple (hydrogen peroxide, organic acids, etc.) or more complex. Bacteriocins are a class of proteins whose bactericidal activity generally has a narrow range of action. It is sometimes even limited to the same species as the producing strain. Fundamental and applied research on... 

Forberg, T. (2005). Lactic acid bacteria of different origin production of antimicrobial substances and distribution of bacteriocin genes (In Norwegian). Master. Norwegian University of life Sciences, Aas. 

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