Potential microbial strains for organic fermented foods: Safety, functionality, and product quality

Organic fermented foods represent an important component of sustainable food systems, combining traditional processing methods with growing consumer demand for natural, minimally processed, and health-promoting products. Microorganisms play a central role in organic fermentation by driving biochemical transformations that enhance food safety, nutritional value, sensory attributes, and shelf life. The selection of appropriate microbial strains is therefore critical to ensuring consistent product quality while meeting strict organic and food safety standards. This review examines potential microbial strains used in organic fermented foods, with emphasis on safety assessment, functional properties, and impacts on product quality. Key groups including lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and selected beneficial bacteria are evaluated in terms of their technological performance, probiotic potential, and ability to suppress spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. The review further discusses challenges related to strain variability, contamination risks, and regulatory compliance in organic production systems. By synthesizing recent findings from food microbiology, fermentation science, and biotechnology, this work provides a comprehensive framework for selecting and managing microbial strains to support safe, functional, and high-quality organic fermented foods.