Production of conjugated linoleic acid by enzyme extract of Lactobacillus acidophilus CCRC 14079

Crude enzyme extracted from Lactobacillus acidophilus (CCRC 14079) was tested for the production of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) reported to have anticarcinogenic, antiatherosclerotic, antidiabetogenic, antiobese, and immunomodulative properties. Levels of 50 and 75 mg linoleic acid (LA) were reacted with 25, 50, and 75 mg enzyme extract at 50 °C for 10 min at pH 5, and the amounts of CLA produced were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The sharp increases in total CLA levels from 8 to 305 μg in 50 mg LA treatment and from 116 to 439 μg in 75 mg LA treatment were observed as enzyme extract level increased from 0 to 50 mg. Total CLA level remained unchanged as enzyme level increased to 75 mg. The average percentages of CLA isomers in total CLA produced in the reactions of enzyme extract and LA ranged from 6 to 19%. Forty eight % of those isomers were in cis,trans/trans,cis form and 14% were c9,t11-CLA.