Editorial: Lactic Acid Fermentation and the Colours of Biotechnology 2.0

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) belong to an assorted cluster of bacteria that are protagonists of fermentative processes and bio-based solutions of interest in the different fields of biotechnological sciences, from the agri-food sector (green) up to the industrial (white), throughout the pharmaceutical (red). Even though LAB?s main metabolic action is the synthesis of lactic acid as a result of the fermentation of carbohydrates, they have a great number of applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In fact, LAB have a safe history of use by humans, and they are responsible for the production of many valuable molecules such as organic acids, exopolysaccharides, polyols and antimicrobial compounds. The continuous progress in the knowledge of LAB physiology and biochemistry and the availability of a great number of their complete genomic sequence have encouraged the characterization and production of an assortment of commercial starter cultures. These strains, denoted with probiotic, bio-protective and pro-technological properties, testify the biotechnological relevance of this heterogeneous bacteria class. The Special Issue "Lactic Acid Fermentation and the Colours of Biotechnology 2.0" covers nine contributes: six original research papers and three reviews. As Guest Editors, we briefly report an overview of these contributions that included multiple aspects of LAB-based innovations concerning biotechnological development, such as innovative strategies for lactic acid production, D-lactate, functional or typical fermented foods.