Lipolytic activity of meat lactobacilli isolated from naturally fermented Greek dry sausage

The ability of 21 homofermentative lactobacillus spp. isolated from Greek dry sausage to hydrolyse synthetic glycerides and natural fat was investigated. All strains were active with tributyrin and most of them with long-chain monoglycerides (monostearin, monopalmitin), but none was capable of hydrolysing di-or-triglycerides having fatty acid chain with more than 16 carbon atoms or natural sausage fat. Lipase capacity of meat Lactobacillus species decreased in the order: trehalose (+) L. sake > L. curvatus > L. farciminis > L. plantarum > trehalose (-) L. sake. Activity was found in the culture fluids and the whole-cell suspensions of the strains. Cell-associated lipases were located on the cell-debris and not in the soluble fraction of the cells. When partially hydrolysed sausage fat was added to serve as the only carbon source into a liquid medium inoculated with L. sake L129, no lipolysis attributed to the action of the strain lipases could be observed. It was concluded that, although meat lactobacilli produce extracellular or cell-associated lipases, they seem not to play a significant role in hydrolysis of pork fat in dry fermented sausages.