Title Page -- Table of Contents -- List of Contributors -- Editors -- Contributors -- Preface -- Chapter 1: Updates on Metabolism in Lactic Acid Bacteria in Light of "Omic" Technologies -- 1.1. Sugar Metabolism -- 1.2. Citrate Metabolism and Formation of Aroma Compounds -- 1.3. The Proteolytic System of Lactic Acid Bacteria -- 1.4. LAB Metabolism in Light of Genomics, Comparative Genomics, and Metagenomics -- 1.5. Novel Aspects of Metabolism Regulation in the Post-genomic Age -- 1.6. Functional Genomics and Metabolism -- 1.7. Systems Biology of LAB -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 2: Systematics of Lactic Acid Bacteria: Current Status -- 2.1. Families and Genera of Lactic Acid Bacteria -- 2.2. A Focus on the Family Lactobacillaceae -- 2.3. Taxonomic Tools in the Genomic Era -- References -- Chapter 3: Genomic Evolution of Lactic Acid Bacteria: From Single Gene Function to the Pan-genome -- 3.1. The Genomics Revolution -- 3.2. Genomic Adaptations of LAB to the Environment -- 3.3. "Probiotic Islands"? -- 3.4. Stress Resistance and Quorum Sensing Mechanisms -- 3.5. The Impact of Genome Sequencing on Characterization, Taxonomy, and Pan-genome Development of Lactic Acid Bacteria -- 3.6. Functional Genomic Studies to Unveil Novel LAB Utilities -- 3.7. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 4: Lactic Acid Bacteria: Comparative Genomic Analyses of Transport Systems -- 4.1. Introduction -- 4.2. Channel-forming Proteins -- 4.3. The Major Facilitator Superfamily -- 4.4. Other Large Superfamilies of Secondary Carriers -- 4.5. ABC Transporters -- 4.6. Heavy Metal Transporters -- 4.7. P-type ATPases in Prokaryotes -- 4.8. The Prokaryote-specific Phosphotransferase System (PTS) -- 4.9. Multidrug Resistance Pumps -- 4.10. Nutrient Transport in LAB -- 4.11. Conclusions and Perspectives -- Acknowledgments -- References.

Chapter 5: Novel Developments in Bacteriocins from Lactic Acid Bacteria -- 5.1. Introduction -- 5.2. Characteristics and Classification of Bacteriocins -- 5.3. Mode of Action -- 5.4. Bacteriocin Resistance -- 5.5. Applications -- 5.6. Future Perspectives -- References -- Chapter 6: Bacteriophages of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Biotechnological Tools -- 6.1. Introduction -- 6.2. Bacteriophages of Lactic Acid Bacteria -- 6.3. Antiphage Strategies -- 6.4. Phage-Based Molecular Tools -- 6.5. LAB Phages as Biocontrol Tools -- 6.6. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 7: Lactic Acid Bacteria and the Human Intestinal Microbiome -- 7.1. Introduction -- 7.2. Ecology of the Human Intestinal Tract -- 7.3. A Case Study: The Lactobacillus rhamnosus Species -- 7.4. Concluding Perspectives and Future Directions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 8: Probiotics and Functional Foods in Immunosupressed Hosts -- 8.1. Introduction -- 8.2. Probiotic Fermented Milk in a Malnutrition Model -- 8.3. Probiotic Administration in Stress Process -- 8.4. Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 9: Lactic Acid Bacteria in Animal Production and Health -- 9.1. Introduction -- 9.2. Lactic Acid Bacteria and Probiotics -- 9.3. Classifications and Regulatory Criteria of Probiotics in Animal Health -- 9.4. Probiotic LAB and Animal Production Sectors -- 9.5. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 10: Proteomics for Studying Probiotic Traits -- 10.1. Introduction -- 10.2. Mass Spectrometric Methodologies in Proteomics -- 10.3. Proteomics for Studying Molecular Mechanisms of Probiotic Action -- 10.4. Concluding Remarks and Future Directions -- References -- Chapter 11: Engineering Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bifidobacteria for Mucosal Delivery of Health Molecules -- 11.1. Introduction -- 11.2. Lactococcus lactis: A Pioneer Bacterium.

11.3. Lactobacillus spp. as a Delivery Vector -- 11.4. Bifidobacteria as a New Live Delivery Vehicle -- 11.5. Engineering Genetic Tools for Protein and DNA Delivery -- 11.6. Therapeutic Applications -- 11.7. Allergy -- 11.8. Autoimmune Diseases -- 11.9. Infectious Diseases -- References -- Chapter 12: Lactic Acid Bacteria for Dairy Fermentations: Specialized Starter Cultures to Improve Dairy Products -- 12.1. Introduction -- 12.2. Adjunct Cultures -- 12.3. Phage-Resistant Starters -- 12.4. New Sources of Starter Strains -- 12.5. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 13: Lactobacillus sakei in Meat Fermentation -- 13.1. Introduction -- 13.2. Genomics and Diversity of the Species Lactobacillus sakei -- 13.3. Post-genomic Vision of Meat Fitness Traits of Lactobacillus sakei -- 13.4. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 14: Vegetable and Fruit Fermentation by Lactic Acid Bacteria -- 14.1. Introduction -- 14.2. Lactic Acid Bacteria Microbiota of Raw Vegetables and Fruits -- 14.3. Fermentation of Vegetable Products -- 14.4. Main Fermented Vegetable Products -- 14.5. Physiology and Biochemistry of LAB during Vegetable and Fruit Fermentation -- 14.6. Food Phenolic Compounds: Antimicrobial Activity and Microbial Responses -- 14.7. Health-promoting Properties of Fermented Vegetables and Fruits -- 14.8. Alternative Sources of Novel Probiotics Candidates -- 14.9. Vehicles for Delivering Probiotics -- 14.10. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 15: Lactic Acid Bacteria and Malolactic Fermentation in Wine -- 15.1. Introduction -- 15.2. The Lactic Acid Bacteria of Wine -- 15.3. The Oenococcus Oeni Species -- 15.4. Evolution of Lactic Acid Bacteria during Winemaking -- 15.5. Lactic Acid Bacteria Metabolism and its Impact on Wine Quality (Table 15.2) -- 15.6. Controlling the Malolactic Fermentation -- 15.7. Conclusions -- References.

Chapter 16: The Functional Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Cocoa Bean Fermentation -- 16.1. Introduction -- 16.2. Cocoa Crop Cultivation and Harvest -- 16.3. The Cocoa Pulp or Fermentation Substrate -- 16.4. Fresh, Unfermented Cocoa Beans -- 16.5. Cocoa Bean Fermentation -- 16.6. Succession of Microorganisms during Cocoa Bean Fermentation -- 16.7. Biochemical Changes in the Cocoa Beans during Fermentation and Drying -- 16.8. Optimal Fermentation Course and End of Fermentation -- 16.9. Further Processing of Fermented Cocoa Beans -- 16.10. Use of Starter Cultures for Cocoa Bean Fermentation -- 16.11. Concluding Remarks -- References -- Chapter 17: B-Group Vitamins Production by Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria -- 17.1. Introduction -- 17.2. B-Group Vitamins -- 17.3. Probiotics In Situ -- 17.4. Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 18: Nutraceutics and High Value Metabolites Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria -- 18.1. Introduction -- 18.2. Nutraceutics -- 18.3. Exopolysaccharides -- 18.4. Commodity Chemicals -- 18.5. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 19: Production of Flavor Compounds by Lactic Acid Bacteria in Fermented Foods -- 19.1. Introduction -- 19.2. Flavor and Aroma Compounds -- 19.3. LAB of Fermented Foods and their Role in Flavor Formation -- 19.4. Biotic and Abiotic Factors Modulating the Contribution of LAB to Flavor Formation -- 19.5. Conclusions and Research Perspectives -- References -- Chapter 20: Lactic Acid Bacteria Biofilms -- 20.1. Lactic Acid Bacteria Biofilms are Ubiquitous in a Wide Variety of Environments from Nature to Domesticated Settings -- 20.2. Biofilm Life Cycle and Bacterial Factors Involved in LAB Biofilm Lifestyle -- 20.3. Health and Biotechnological Potential of LAB Biofilms and Underlying Mechanisms -- 20.4. Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Index -- End User License Agreement.