Application of lactic acid bacteria-derived GABA in food industry: GABA-producing strains, biosynthesis, and health benefits

In recent years, there has been rising interest in producing health-functional foods and beverages as people become more health-conscious. Amidst the interest, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a key bioactive compound produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), is one of the most demanded compounds to be applied in the food industry due to its psychobiotic advantages. However, the limited number of studies focusing on specific areas of GABA application in the food industry complicates the general evaluation of its application. Hence, a systematic literature review was conducted to study the application of GABA in the food industry. Thirty-seven studies were chosen from PubMed, Web of Science (WoS), and Scopus for data extraction and review. The three themes being emphasised in the present review are (1) GABA-producing strains, (2) GABA biosynthesis, and (3) GABA health benefits. Through the present review, the general idea of how GABA is applied in the food industry is highlighted. This may provide a better overview of the current research direction on GABA.