Current perspectives on antifungal lactic acid bacteria as natural bio-preservatives

Fungal spoilage of foods represents a major cause of concern for food manufacturers. The use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to alleviate fungal decay of foods and feeds is a promising solution. The study and application of antifungal LAB has received a surge of interest in recent years. Significant progress has been reported on the isolation and characterization of antimycotic compounds, which include various organic acids, cyclic dipeptides and fatty acids, while various food-based applications of these antifungal LAB have been described in literature. This review summarizes the current knowledge on antifungal LAB, their bioactive metabolites, applications in food systems and interactions with their target fungi.