What are lactic acid bacteria?
• Lactic acid bacteria produce lactic acid when they ferment. The bacteria can be foundeverywhere: in plants, in the air, and in people and animals. In humans they are found on the skin and in the intestines where they protect us against other bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria are found in countless varieties and strengths. They grow in small colonies and are either round or rod-shaped – the round ones are known as “coccer” and are familiar as lactococcer, for instance. • The lactic acid bacteria used by Arla in many dairy products are produced by a number of companies that specialise in isolating bacteria and getting them to grow. • Arla uses lactic acid bacteria to acidify cheese, butter, junket, crème frâiche, and yogurt. Lactic acid bacteria are mainly used as mixed cultures that are produced by mixing different bacteria to obtain as pleasant a flavour, texture, and durability as possible.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: The Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) comprise a clade of Gram positive, low-GC, acid tolerant, non-sporulating, non-respiring rod or cocci that are associated by their common metabolic and physiological characteristics. These bacteria, usually found in decomposing plants and lactic products produce lactic acid as the major metabolic endproduct of carbohydrate fermentation. This trait has historically linked LAB with food fermentations as acidification inhibits the growth of spoilage agents. Proteinaceous bacteriocins are produced by several LAB strains and provide an additional hurdle for spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Furthermore, lactic acid and other metabolic products contribute to the organoleptic and textural profile of a food item. The industrial importance of the LAB is further evidenced by their generally regarded as safe (GRAS) status, due to their ubiquitous appearance in food and their contribution to the healthy microflora of human
Lactic acid bacteria are bacteria that produce lactic acid*. Lactic acid bacteria is used in the food industry for fermentation and to lower the carbohydrate content of foods, the pH level in the food, and change the texture of the food. Foods fermented with lactic acid bacteria include cheese, yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, pickles, sauerkraut, and sausage. * Lactic acid, the substance produced by the bacteria, is a syrupy liquid. Lactic acid is also found in sour milk, molasses, fruits and wines. Reference: waksmanfoundation.org/labs/mbl/lactic.
