The increasing concern of consumers about food quality and safety and their rejection of chemical additives has
promoted the breakthrough of the biopreservation field and the development of studies on the use of beneficial
bacteria and their metabolites as potential natural antimicrobials for shelf life extension and enhanced food
safety. Control of foodborne pathogens in meat and meat products represents a serious challenge for the food
industry which can be addressed through the intelligent use of bio-compounds or biopreservatives. This article
aims to systematically review the available knowledge about biological strategies based on the use of lactic acid
bacteria to control the proliferation of undesirable microorganisms in different meat products. The outcome of
the literature search evidenced the potential of several strains of lactic acid bacteria and their purified or semi-
purified antimicrobial metabolites as biopreservatives in meat products for achieving longer shelf life or
inhibiting spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, especially when combined with other technologies to achieve a
synergistic effect.
