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Peer-reviewedCC BYFood chemistry: X

The health-promoting functions of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and lactic acid bacteria metabolism: From biosynthesis to applications in the food industry

  • Hui Zhou1
  • Wenying Yuan1
  • JiaoJiao Hu2
  • Mengyao Liu3
  • Jie Luo1
  • Baokun Li4
  • Xiankang Fan1
4 affiliations
  1. 1College of Food Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
  2. 2Hunan Institute of Metrology and Testing, Changsha 410014, China
  3. 3Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health (Beijing Technology and Business University), Ministry of Education, China
  4. 4School of Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832003, China
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Abstract

GABA is a principal inhibitory neurotransmitter with systemic regulatory roles. This review synthesizes the health-promoting functions of GABA and the molecular mechanisms of its production in LAB. GABA regulates neuronal excitability via GABA receptors, suppresses inflammation by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, and modulates the gut-brain axis through microbiota remodeling. LAB synthesize GABA primarily via the glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) system, with an alternative GABA-T-mediated non-GAD pathway that requires further validation, a process tightly coupled to acid resistance. Optimization strategies include genetic engineering, fermentation control, physical stimulation, and synthetic co-culture. These strains are widely applied in dairy, plant-based beverages, and meat, enhancing flavor while sleep-improving, and microbiota-modulating benefits. However, significant challenges persist, including incomplete substrate conversion causing off-flavors, poor GABA stability in food, and genetic instability during scale-up. This work uniquely integrates non-neuronal GABA functions, metabolic diversity beyond the canonical GAD pathway, and practical challenges of GABA incorporation into food matrices.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{zhou2026healthpromoting,
  title = {{The health-promoting functions of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and lactic acid bacteria metabolism: From biosynthesis to applications in the food industry}},
  author = {Hui Zhou and Wenying Yuan and JiaoJiao Hu and Mengyao Liu and Jie Luo and Baokun Li and Xiankang Fan},
  journal = {Food chemistry: X},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104627},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13717010},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - The health-promoting functions of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and lactic acid bacteria metabolism: From biosynthesis to applications in the food industry
AU  - Hui Zhou
AU  - Wenying Yuan
AU  - JiaoJiao Hu
AU  - Mengyao Liu
AU  - Jie Luo
AU  - Baokun Li
AU  - Xiankang Fan
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/18
JO  - Food chemistry: X
DO  - 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104627
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13717010
AB  - GABA is a principal inhibitory neurotransmitter with systemic regulatory roles. This review synthesizes the health-promoting functions of GABA and the molecular mechanisms of its production in LAB. GABA regulates neuronal excitability via GABA receptors, suppresses inflammation by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, and modulates the gut-brain axis through microbiota remodeling. LAB synthesize GABA primarily via the glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) system, with an alternative GABA-T-mediated non-GAD pathway that requires further validation, a process tightly coupled to acid resistance. Optimization strategies include genetic engineering, fermentation control, physical stimulation, and synthetic co-culture. These strains are widely applied in dairy, plant-based beverages, and meat, enhancing flavor while sleep-improving, and microbiota-modulating benefits. However, significant challenges persist, including incomplete substrate conversion causing off-flavors, poor GABA stability in food, and genetic instability during scale-up. This work uniquely integrates non-neuronal GABA functions, metabolic diversity beyond the canonical GAD pathway, and practical challenges of GABA incorporation into food matrices.
SN  - 2590-1575
ER  -