Beginning with the basics of lactic acid bacteria and stress response, then working into specific fields of research and current developments, Stress Responses of Lactic Acid Bacteria will serve as an essential guidebook to researchers in the field, industry professionals, and advanced students in the area. The exploration of stress responses in lactic acid bacteria began in the early 90s and revealed the differences that exist between LAB and the classical model microorganisms. A considerable amount of work has been performed on the main genera / species of LAB regarding the genes implicated and their actual role and regulation, and the mechanisms of stress resistance have also been elucidated. Recent genome and transcriptome analyses complement the proteome and genetic information available today and shed a new light on the perception of and the responses to stress by lactic acid bacteria.

This book provides an overview of the physiological basis of lactic acid bacteria and their applications in minimizing foodborne risks, such as pathogens, heavy metal pollution, biotoxin contamination and food‐based allergies. While highlighting the mechanisms responsible for these biological effects, it also addresses the challenges and opportunities that lactic acid bacteria represent in food safety management. It offers a valuable resource for researchers, graduate students, nutritionists and product developers in the fields of food science and microbiology.

Foods fermented with lactic acid bacteria are an important part of the human diet. Lactic acid bacteria play an essential role in the preservation of food raw materials and contribute to the nutritional, organoleptic, and health properties of food products and animal feed. The importance of lactic acid bacteria in the production of foods throughout the world has resulted in a continued scientific interest in these micro-organisms over the last two decades by academic research groups as well as by industry. This research has resulted in a number of important scientific breakthroughs and has led to new applications. The most recent of these advances is the establishment of the complete genome sequences of a number of different lactic acid bacterial species. To communicate and stimulate the research on lactic acid bacteria and their applications, a series of tri-annual symposia on lactic acid bacteria was started in 1983 under the auspices of the Netherlands Society for Microbiology (NVVM), which was later also supported by the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS). The aim of these state-of-the-art symposia is to offer a unique platform for universities, institutes, and industry in this area of biotechnology, to present recent work, to obtain information on new developments, and to exchange views with colleagues from all over the world on scientific progress and applications. The growing number of participants at these symposia has been a clear demonstration of the interest of the international industrial and scientific community in this area of research. The 7th Symposium is based on a number of plenary lectures that review the scientific progress of the last years in the different areas of research on lactic acid bacteria, and which are documented in this special issue of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.

Through four editions, Lactic Acid Bacteria: Microbiological and Functional Aspects, has provided readers with information on the how’s and why’s lactic acid-producing fermentation improves the storability, palatability, and nutritive value of perishable foods. Thoroughly updated and fully revised, with 12 new chapters, the Fifth Edition covers regulatory aspects globally, new findings on health effects, properties and stability of LAB as well as production of target specific LAB. The new edition also addresses the technological use of LAB in various fermentations of food, feed and beverage, and their safety considerations. It features the detailed description of the main genera of LAB as well as such novel bacteria as fructophilic LAB and novel probiotics and discusses such new targets as cognitive function, metabolic health, respiratory health and probiotics. Key Features: In 12 new chapters, findings are presented on health effects, properties and stability of LAB as well as production of target specific LAB Covers such novel bacteria as fructophilic LAB and novel probiotics Presents new discoveries related to the mechanisms of lactic acid bacterial metabolism and function Covers the benefits of LAB, both in fermentation of dairy, cereal, meat, vegetable and silage, and their health benefits on humans and animals Discusses the less-known role of LAB as food spoilers Covers the global regulatory framework related to safety and efficacy

With the advances in the field of molecular biology, new tools make it possible to conduct in-depth studies in food microbial communities from a molecular perspective. Information from genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic studies can be integrated through bioinformatic applications, thereby improving our understanding of the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors and concomitantly the physiology of starter cultures, spoilage and pathogenic microbiota. Improvements in the speed, accuracy and reliability of food quality and safety assessment have made the foundation stronger for future developments including the exploitation of gene networks and applications of nanotechnology and systems biology. This book reviews all these developments, provides an integrated view of the subject and helps in identifying areas of future development.

The first book to address the subject, Microbial Stress Adaptation and Food Safety emphasizes the implications of stress adaptation and its consequences for food safety. It covers the basic science, kinetics, mechanisms, assessment, and control of stress adaptation and its impact on the safety of foods produced by minimal processing or non-thermal technologies. World renowned experts in the field provide detailed accounts of problems associated with stress adaptation and suggest practical solutions for overcoming these problems.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria are amongst the most important groups of microorganisms used in the food industry. They are also thought to have health-promoting abilities and many are used as probiotics for the prevention, alleviation and treatment of intestinal disorders. This book reviews research in these areas.