Open AccessUsage of in situ exopolysaccharide‐forming lactic acid bacteria in food production: Meat products—A new field of application?
Author(s) -
Loeffler Myriam,
Hilbig Jonas,
Velasco Lina,
Weiss Jochen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.801
H-Index - 110
ISSN - 1541-4337
DOI - 10.1111/1541-4337.12615
Subject(s) - food science , starter , lactic acid , food industry , fermentation , food processing , microbiology and biotechnology , meat packing industry , bacteria , biochemical engineering , biology , engineering , genetics
In the meat industry, hydrocolloids and phosphates are used to improve the quality attributes of meat products. However, latest research results revealed that the usage of exopolysaccharide (EPS)‐forming lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which are able to produce EPS in situ during processing could be an interesting alternative. The current review aims to give a better understanding of bacterial EPS production in food matrices with a special focus on meat products. This includes an introduction to microbial EPS production (homopolysaccharides as well as heteropolysaccharides) and an overview of parameters affecting EPS formation and yield depending on LAB used. This is followed by a summary of methods to detect and characterize EPS to facilitate a rational selection of starter cultures and fermentation conditions based on desired structure–function relationships in different food matrices. The mechanism of action of in situ generated EPS is then highlighted with an emphasis on different meat products. In the process, this review also highlights food additives currently used in meat production that could in the future be replaced by in situ EPS‐forming LAB.