Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are very important in converting of agricultural products into safe, delicious and shelf
stable foods for human consumption. The preservative activity of LAB in foods is mainly attributed to the production
of anti-microbial metabolites such as organic acids and bacteriocins which enables them to grow and control
the growth of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. Besides ensuring safety, bacteriocin-producing LAB with
their probiotic potentials could also be emerging as a means to develop functional meat products with desirable
health benefits. Nevertheless, to be qualified as a candidate probiotic culture, other prerequisite probiotic properties
of bacteriocin-producing LAB have to be assessed according to regulatory guidelines for probiotics. Nham is
an indigenous fermented sausage of Thailand that has gained popularity and acceptance among Thais. Since
Nham is made from raw meat and is usually consumed without cooking, risks due to undesirable microorganisms
such as Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes, are frequently observed. With an ultimate
goal to produce safer and healthier product, our research attempts on the development of a variety of
new Nham products are discussed.