Lactic Acid Bacteria: Lactic Acid Bacteria in Flavor Development

Studies on flavor generation during longer-term ripening of cheeses have revealed at least some of the diversity of flavor compounds that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can generate in dairy systems. These compounds can deliver positive or negative attributes, depending on their absolute and relative levels in a product and the way in which they are released on consumption. This article provides an overview of the complexity, the range, and the potential of flavor compound production by LAB, highlights the current level of knowledge of the pathways that give rise to flavor compounds from breakdown of the major milk components, and touches on the ability to manipulate them. The potential impacts of the variability of milk as a starting material and of the physiological state of the LAB in a dairy system on flavor are briefly discussed. In considering the future for LAB in flavor generation, the possibilities for diversification of flavor using artisanal strains and co-culturing are summarized, and consumer acceptance and some of the technological and commercial limitations of using LAB for flavor compound production are discussed.