Microbiological and Biochemical Studies on Cholesterol Reduction by Lactic Acid Bacteria
Lactobacilli play an important role in food, industrial and clinical applications. Lactobacillus has been associated with therapeutic effects in humans and animals, mainly induction of immunity, competition with pathogens and reduction of blood cholesterol. In this study, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from different food and non–food samples according to morphological and physiological characteristics and tested for stress tolerance, blood hemolysis, histamine formation, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antitumor activity and cholesterol reduction ability.Most of the isolates were tolerant to acidic and alkaline conditions (pH 2.5, 3.5 and 9) for 3 and 6h, osmotic stress (3 M NaCl) and heat stress (55 and 70oC). However, all bacterial isolates were more susceptible to oxidative and bile stress. All the isolates didn’t show any hemolytic activity or histamine formation. The isolates also exhibited anti–bacterial, anti–yeast and antioxidant activities.