Bio-preservation of meat and fermented meat products by lactic acid bacteria strains and their antibacterial metabolites

Meat and some meat products are highly perishable due to their high-water content, pH, and high content of nutrients. Therefore, spoilage control in these products is one of the critical challenges in the food industry. On the other hand, the increasing widespread awareness about the undesirable effects of synthetic preservatives has promoted the breakthrough of the use of natural compounds or bio-preservation technology. Bio-preservation implies the application of microorganisms or their metabolites to extend the shelf life of food products. In this regard, according to the ancient and safe use of fermentation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), their application in the bio-preservation of meat and meat products is gaining more attention. Thus, more understanding of the potential of LAB and their metabolites in the control of pathogens in meat and meat products can create new horizons in the production of safe and functional products with long shelf life. So, this article aims to review the recent knowledge about the bio-preservation of meat and meat products by LAB and their metabolites. Also, their antibacterial mechanism and potential for use in hurdle technology are discussed. The outcome of this review literature shows the high potential of various LAB strains and their metabolites especially bacteriocins as bio-preservatives in meat and meat products for extending their shelf life. In this regard, their combined use with other novel technologies or natural antibacterial compounds as hurdle technology is a more effective method that can compete with synthetic preservatives.