Lactic Acid Bacteria for Fungal Control and Shelf-Life Extension in Fresh Pasta: Mechanistic Insights and Clean-Label Strategies

The global food industry is undergoing a major shift driven by increasing consumer demand for clean-label and naturally preserved foods. Fresh pasta is highly vulnerable to fungal damage because of its high water activity (a_w > 0.85), typically ranging between 0.92 and 0.97, moderate to near-neutral pH (around 5.0-7.0), and nutrient-rich composition, all of which create favorable conditions for fungal growth during refrigeration, mainly by genera such as <i>Penicillium</i> and <i>Aspergillus</i>. Fungal contamination results in significant economic losses due to reduced product quality and poses potential health risks associated with mycotoxin production. Although conventional chemical preservatives are relatively effective in preventing spoilage, their use conflicts with clean-label trends and faces growing regulatory and consumer scrutiny. In this context, antifungal lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have emerged as a promising natural alternative for biopreservation. Several LAB strains, particularly those isolated from cereal-based environments (e.g., <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> and <i>L. amylovorus</i>), produce a broad spectrum of antifungal metabolites, including organic acids, phenylalanine-derived acids, cyclic dipeptides, and volatile compounds. These metabolites act synergistically to inhibit fungal growth through multiple mechanisms, such as cytoplasmic acidification, energy depletion, and membrane disruption. However, the application of LAB in fresh pasta production requires overcoming several challenges, including the scale-up from laboratory to industrial processes, the maintenance of metabolic activity within the complex pasta matrix, and the preservation of desirable sensory attributes. Furthermore, regulatory approval (GRAS/QPS status), economic feasibility, and effective consumer communication are crucial for successful commercial implementation. This review analyzes studies published over the past decade on fresh pasta spoilage and the antifungal activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), highlighting the progressive refinement of LAB-based biopreservation strategies. The literature demonstrates a transition from early descriptive studies to recent research focused on strain-specific mechanisms and technological integration. Overall, LAB-mediated biopreservation emerges as a sustainable, clean-label approach for extending the shelf life and safety of fresh pasta, with future developments relying on targeted strain selection and synergistic preservation strategies.