Probiotic Bacillus as fermentation agents: Status, potential insights, and future perspectives

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Probiotics

Background:

• Traditional fermenter strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium have limitations in functional genes and metabolic abilities, leading to issues like bland flavors and long fermentation times.
• Probiotic *Bacillus* strains are increasingly recognized for their potential in food fermentation, but a systematic evaluation of their role is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the role and potential of probiotic *Bacillus* strains as food fermentation agents.
• To review the involvement of probiotic *Bacillus* in various fermentation states and their contributions to fermented food quality.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and analysis of existing studies on probiotic *Bacillus* in food fermentation.
• Examination of the biochemical activities and functional properties of probiotic *Bacillus* strains.

Main Results:

• Probiotic *Bacillus* strains are involved in liquid, semi-solid, and solid-state fermentations, with a notable presence in solid-state fermented foods.
• These strains produce significant amounts of proteases, lipases, antifungal lipopeptides, and extracellular polymers.
• The activity of probiotic *Bacillus* enhances flavor, nutritional value, and safety of fermented foods.

Conclusions:

• Probiotic *Bacillus* strains are underutilized but highly effective agents for food fermentation.
• Their enzymatic and antimicrobial activities offer significant potential for improving fermented food products and advancing fermentation technology.
• Integrating probiotic *Bacillus* with traditional fermentation techniques can lead to innovative food development.