Meta-analysis: dairy LAB vs. foodborne pathogens

publication
research
food-safety
dairy
lab
Systematic review of lactic acid bacteria from dairy foods and how strongly they inhibit Listeria, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella spp.
Author

PAS-AGRO-PAS

Published

Mar 2025

Open-access in Foods: a meta-analysis on how lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from milk and artisanal dairy suppress Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella spp.

Citation: Y. Loforte, N. Fernandes, V. Cadavez, U. Gonzales-Barron. 2025. “A Meta-Analysis on the In Vitro Antagonistic Effects of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Dairy Products on Foodborne Pathogens.” Foods 14(6):907. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14060907.

Quick summary

  • Systematic review across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science: 1665 papers screened, 20 studies retained, 397 inhibition diameter observations extracted.
  • Random-effects meta-regressions compared LAB genera, pathogen inoculum levels, assay type (well, spot, disk diffusion), incubation time, inoculation volume, agar, and pH.
  • Focused on dairy-origin LAB acting against L. monocytogenes, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp.

Key findings

  • L. monocytogenes was most susceptible (larger inhibition diameters than S. aureus or Salmonella; p < 0.05).
  • Lacticaseibacillus gave the strongest inhibition vs. L. monocytogenes (~21.5 mm) and S. aureus (~21.1 mm); Lactobacillus led against Salmonella (~19.9 mm).
  • Well diffusion outperformed spot and disk assays (e.g., ~30.7 mm vs. ~22.0 mm vs. ~13.4 mm for L. monocytogenes).
  • Experimental levers that mattered most: pathogen inoculum, assay format, incubation time, and inoculation volume—plan these carefully for reproducible LAB screens.

Why it matters

LAB from dairy foods remain strong candidates for biopreservation in milk and cheese; Lacticaseibacillus and Lactobacillus are standout genera to prioritize. Designing cross-lab trials should control inoculum levels and use consistent diffusion assays to avoid overstating or understating antimicrobial effects.

Access

Read the paper: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14060907
Affiliations: CIMO/LA SusTEC (IPB), Instituto Superior Politécnico de Manica, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (LEAF, TERRA). Open access, Special Issue “Predictive Modelling in Food: Food Safety Validation and Risk Assessment.”