Concept and potential applications of postbiotics in the food industry

Due to the importance of diet in consumer health, the use of functional foods has become widespread. Foods containing probiotics are a good example of these foods, which have both high nutritional value and prevent disease. In addition, the use of bioactive compounds in food formulations is also technologically important. Natural protection with the use of biological preservatives, in addition to improving food safety and increasing its shelf life, as a technological effect, also has a positive effect on promoting consumer health. The mechanisms by which probiotic bacteria develop health-promoting properties can be complex and multifaceted. These beneficial microorganisms produce a potential and almost unlimited source of bioactive substances that can directly or indirectly affect human health. In this regard, active and live cultures of probiotic bacteria can be used to produce postbiotic bioactive compounds, such as exopolysaccharides, enzymes, organic acids, bioactive and antimicrobial peptides such as bacteriocins and unsaturated fatty acids such as conjugated linoleic acid. In recent years, new concepts related to probiotics, such as postbiotics, have been used to describe inanimate microorganisms or extracts free of bacteria that may provide benefits to the host by providing additional bioactivity to probiotics. Therefore, the present review article investigates various aspects of postbiotics and their bioactivity with the aim of expressing the valuable and practical potential of these compounds for the food industry.