Method for the rapid quantitative detection of lipolytic activity among food fermenting microorganisms

A standard method for the detection of free fatty acids (FFAs) in milk was modified and applied to the measurement of the lipolytic activity of microorganisms in a model system containing either homogenised pork or beef fat tissue. The increase in FFAs was measured colorimetrically using palmitic acid as a standard. Among the strains tested, two strains of Staphylococcus xylosus and one strain of Staphylococcus carnosus were found to display lipolytic activity. For all strains, a higher increase in FFA was observed in broth supplemented with pork fat than with beef fat. All three strains displayed lipolytic activity when tested on tributyrin agar plates.