Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 June 2009
A method which was developed for assaying the extracellular lipases of psychrotrophic bacteria in milk (Stead, 1983, 1984) and which uses the fluorogenic substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl oleate has been adapted for use with skim milk powder (SMP), whey powder (WP) and whey protein concentrate (WPC). A five-fold increase in the concentration of sodium taurocholate (NaTC), in the mixture of NaTC and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide needed to dissociate lipase from milk proteins, removed the excessive sensitivity of the assay to variations in the concentrations of SMP, WP or WPC incorporated. Commercially available pancreatic lipase provided a suitable standard of lipolytic activity and as little as 1–2 μ could be detected in each assay system.