The answer is lactic acid bacteria (LAB), a group of beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi.
Researchers from Technical University of Denmark recently tracked which LAB species can naturally improve plant-based dairy in a systematic review published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety.
According to the authors, different LAB species can be used by formulators to naturally address issues such as off-flavors or to eliminate antinutrients (.e.g phytates, phenolic compounds and oxalates), helping to boost the final product’s nutritional value.
“LAB is the most important group of bacteria that has been used for centuries for food fermentation, especially for the generation of milk-based fermented products,” the authors explained, citing prior research.
For example, the authors found that particular species, such as L. plantarum, L. fermentum, L. acidophilus, L. paracasei, and L. rhamnosus, can help tackle antinutrients; while other types, such as L. pentosus, L. diolivorans, S. collinoides, and L. paraplantarum, work well as starter cultures for plant-based fermentations.
The research also list volatile organic compounds – such as alcohols, ketones and pyrazines – responsible for off-flavor attributes in plant-based dairy products, and look at which LAB species can be used to mask these compounds.
Additional work is needed to better understand how different LAB strains – or a mixture thereof – can be used as starter cultures for developing plant-based dairy.
Source:
Metabolic insights of lactic acid bacteria in reducing off-flavors and antinutrients in plant-based fermented dairy alternatives
Authors: Guillermo Eduardo Sedó Molina, Geoffrey Ras, Denise Felix da Silva, Lene Duedahl-Olesen, Egon Bech Hansen, Claus Heiner Bang-Berthelsen
Published: Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 17 March 2025
DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.70134