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

• We explore the upsurge in studies discerning the antifungal attributes of LAB.
• The biochemical nature of antifungal compounds derived from LAB is described.
• Standardization of isolation and purification methods is required for such compounds.
• The application of anti-fungal LAB in foods and feeds as preservative cultures.
• Defining the interactions of anti-fungal LAB and their target fungi.

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.