Traditional fermented foods where lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are present have been associated with beneficial effects on human health, and some of those benefits are related to protein‐derived products. Peptides produced by LAB have attracted the interest of food industries because of their diverse applications. These peptides include ribosomally produced (bacteriocins) and protein hydrolysates by‐products (bioactive peptides), which can participate as natural preservatives and nutraceuticals, respectively. It is essential to understand the biochemical pathways and the effect of growth conditions for the production of bioactive peptides and bacteriocins by LAB, in order to suggest strategies for optimization. LAB is an important food‐grade expression system that can be used in the simultaneous production of peptide‐based products for the food, animal, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. This review describes the multifunctional proteinaceous compounds generated by LAB metabolism and discusses a strategy to use a single‐step production process, using an alternative protein‐based media. This strategy will provide economic advantages in fermentation processes and will also provide an environmental alternative to industrial waste valorization. New technologies that can be used to improve production and bioactivity of LAB‐derived peptides are also analyzed.

The multifunctional properties of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria can be of use for enhancing the sensorial properties of food, as well as in food preservation. An initial screening for antimicrobial, proteolytic, and lipolytic capacities was done in 214 presumptive lactic acid bacteria isolates obtained from Chihuahua cheese manufacturing and during a ripening period of nine months. The antimicrobial screening was done by spot-on-the-lawn tests, using Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli as indicator microorganisms; proteolysis was tested in casein-peptone agar and lipolysis in Mann–Rogosa–Sharpe (MRS)-tributyrin agar. More than 90% of the isolates hydrolyzed the casein, but only 30% hydrolyzed tributyrin; the inhibition of L. monocytogenes in the spot-on-the-lawn assay was used to select 39 isolates that had a bigger inhibition zone (>11.15 mm ± 0.3) than the control (Nisin producer Lactococcus lactis BS-10 Chr Hansen). The selected isolates were grown in MRS to obtain the neutralized cell-free supernatants and verify their antimicrobial activity by agar diffusion and the percentage of growth inhibition techniques. The selected isolates were also growth in casein peptone broth, and the cell-free supernatants were used for the determination of antioxidant activity by the radical scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) techniques. The results were analyzed to identify similarities by cluster analysis, based on their antimicrobial and antioxidant capacities. The isolates were arranged into six clusters; one cluster that included 12 isolates demonstrated L. monocytogenes (784–2811 mm2/mL AU by agar diffusion assay) and E. coli (41%–47% growth inhibition) antimicrobial activity. The isolates clustered in these groups also showed competitive inhibition of both radicals (11%–19% of DPPH and 50%–60% of ABTS). The isolates from cluster one were also identified by 16S rDNA amplification and were identified as Enterococcus faecium. Traditional products such as Chihuahua cheese can be a source or lactic acid bacteria with metabolic properties that can be used in food preparation and preservation.

Antibiotic resistance along with biofilm formation increases the difficulty for antibiotic therapy in urinary tract infections. Bioactive molecules derived from plants, such as those present in essential oils, can be used to treat bacterial infections. Oregano is one of the spices to have antimicrobial activity. Therefore, three Mexican oregano essential oils (two Lippia berlandieri Schauer and one Poliomintha longiflora) were tested for antimicrobial capacity against multidrug-resistant, biofilm-forming bacterial isolates. Clinical isolates from urinary tract infections were tested for antibiotic resistance. Multidrug-resistant isolates were evaluated for biofilm formation, and Mexican oregano antimicrobial effect was determined by the minimal inhibitory (CMI) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (CMB). The selected isolates were identified by molecular phylogenetic analysis. Sixty-one isolates were included in the study; twenty were characterized as multidrug-resistant and from those, six were strong biofilm formers. Three isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, two as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and one as Enterococcus faecalis based on the phylogenetic analysis of 16 S rRNA gene sequences. The antimicrobial effect was bactericidal; E. faecalis was the most susceptible (<200 mg/L CMI/CMB), and P. aeruginosa was the most resistant (>2,000 mg/L CMI/CMB). There was a range of 500-1000 mg/L (CMI/CMB) for the E. coli isolates. Mexican oregano essential oils demonstrated antimicrobial efficacy against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates.

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