Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in fermented beverages: Properties, mechanisms, and future prospects

This review explores the potential of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ( L. plantarum ) in advancing probiotic fermented beverages, driven by rising health-conscious consumer trends. Recognized for its safety, metabolic flexibility, and environmental adaptability, L. plantarum improves beverage quality by enhancing sensory characteristics, prolonging shelf life, and boosting probiotic efficacy. Its functional mechanisms include antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, mitigation of undesirable compounds, and generation of flavor-enhancing and bioactive metabolites. Microbial interactions, substrate composition, and processing conditions influence fermentation outcomes. Current challenges center on optimizing multi-strain synergies and deciphering microbial communication networks to enhance functionality. Notably, elucidating the mechanisms underlying the interactions between L . plantarum and other strains is identified as a key area for future research, with the potential to drive sustainable development and innovation in this sector. This paper reviews the properties and characteristics of L. plantarum . Then it elucidates the application and function mechanism of L. plantarum in fermented beverages and explains the factors that affect its fermentation effect. Finally, the opportunities and challenges are discussed. It also provides insights into the field's current status and future direction. • Comprehensive analysis of L. plantarum 's function and mechanism in fermented beverages. • Discuss the controversy and research gaps in the L. plantarum application process. • Demonstrate the challenges and opportunities in the development of L. plantarum. • Future research should focus on understanding strain synergies and strain interactions.