**5. Conclusion and future scope**

Bacteriocins are the antimicrobial proteins, which could be categorized as antibiotics, but they are not. The major difference between bacteriocins and antibiotics is that the bacteriocins are species-specific and their activity is restricted to a particular strain of species; on the other hand, antibiotics have a wider activity spectrum. The bacteriocins are produced by the lactic acid bacterial species. The increased antimicrobial resistance and growing awareness of microbiome for the importance of human health underscore the need of this class of antimicrobials, as an approach for the treatment of infectious diseases spread by the antimicrobial-resistant food-borne pathogens such as *Salmonella* spp., *Listeria* spp. etc. [62]. Thus, these bacteriocins can be a part of sustainable development goals by delivering safe foods with longer shelf life [1]. The bacteriocins are the future antimicrobial proteins for the preservation of food and as therapeutics even in a cost-effective manner. The species of Enterococci have been identified as antimicrobials against vancomycin-resistant pathogens of the food industry [63, 64]. The food and dairy industries and healthcare sector should be more focused on the use of bacteriocins for food preservation and as therapeutics in cancer treatment, respectively.

Lactobacillus *– A Multifunctional Genus*
