Functional properties of lactic acid bacteria in fermented fruit and vegetable juices: a systematic literature review

The development of non-dairy fermented juices based on fruits and vegetables is favoured by multiple factors, such as greater consumer awareness of health-related properties of fermented foods, a growing number of lactose intolerance cases, and an increasing popularity of food trends like veganism. Therefore, the scientific community’s interest in the design of lactic acid fermented juices and determining their functional features has increased over the past 10 years. The aim of this study was to review the latest reports concerning the influence of lactic acid bacteria on fermented fruit and vegetable juices, using the SALSA (search, appraisal, synthesis, analysis) systematic literature review framework. This approach allowed for gathering 42 most essential publications, which have undergone detailed analysis. Most studies focused on the functional properties of fruit juices (e.g. cashew apple or pomegranate juice), while vegetable (e.g. tomato or carrot juice) and mixed juices (e.g. apple–carrot juice) were studied in a lesser extent. Recent studies indicate a great commercialization potential of non-dairy fermented juices due to their adequate probiotic delivery; strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties; high content of vitamins, total phenols, amino acids, exopolysaccharides; unique sensory characteristics as well as their anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. All these advantages are strictly associated with the use of particular bacterial strain (mostly strains of L. plantarum) and plant matrices.