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Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and their metabolites play a pivotal role in fermented foods, contributing not only to improved sensory attributes and extended shelf life but also to enhanced nutritional value and health benefits. This review systematically summarizes the main metabolites produced by LAB, including organic acids, bacteriocins, exopolysaccharides, vitamins, and bioactive peptides, and elucidates their diverse mechanisms in food quality enhancement and health promotion. Special emphasis is placed on the dynamic interplay between LAB metabolites and the gut microbiota, illustrating how they maintain microbial balance, inhibit pathogens, strengthen intestinal barrier function, and modulate immune responses, ultimately supporting host health. Furthermore, the review highlights emerging trends and challenges, proposing future research directions such as the discovery of novel functional metabolites, genetic engineering, and synthetic biology approaches to optimize LAB strains, the development of precision-designed LAB-fermented foods, and the deep exploration of metabolite-mediated interactions within the “LAB – gut microbiota – host” network. These insights provide a theoretical basis for advancing probiotic and functional food development strategies aimed at personalized health interventions.
Zang et al. (Thu,) studied this question.