Bacteriocins are cationic and hydrophobic
peptides produced by lactic acid bacteria,
with antibacterial activity against related
Gram - positive bacteria (Chen and Hoover
2003 ). In addition to bacteriocins, lactic
acid bacteria produce other antimicrobials,
such as lactic acid, acetic acid, diacetyl,
ethanol, and carbon dioxide among others
(Davidson and Hoover 1993 ). Bacteriocins,
usually named after the bacterium that produces
it, can be classifi ed into four major
classes, with class I and class II being the
most investigated (Hugas 1998 ). A brief
summary of bacteriocins is presented in
Table 14.4