Extracellular vesicles from lactic acid bacteria as multifunctional postbiotics: bridging food technology and intestinal wellness

Lactic acid bacteria are important probiotics widely found in nature and recognized for their health-promoting roles in fermented foods and their probiotic functions in the human gut. In recent years, postbiotics-defined as inanimate metabolites or components of probiotics-have gained increasing attention. Extracellular vesicles derived from lactic acid bacteria (LAB-EVs) represent a unique category of postbiotics with notable bioactivity and stability, holding broad potential for food applications. This review systematically examines the biogenesis, molecular composition, and dual applications of LAB-EVs in food and health. In food systems, LAB-EVs can serve as natural preservatives by inhibiting pathogens and biofilms, as fermentation modulators by mediating microbial interactions, and as efficient nanocarriers for delivering flavors and nutrients. Furthermore, LAB-EVs contribute to gut health by enhancing barrier function, modulating immune balance, and maintaining microbiota homeostasis. To bridge the gap between research and industrial application, this review highlights key strategies for enhancing EV yield, optimizing purification protocols, and enabling functional engineering. In summary, LAB-EVs constitute an advanced bioactive platform with significant potential for developing next-generation functional foods and promoting the innovative application of postbiotics in the food industry.