Lipase inhibitory activity of skim milk fermented with different strains of lactic acid bacteria

One of the main causes of obesity is an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. One approach to facilitate weight loss is to decrease absorption of energy-rich nutrients by inhibition of pancreatic lipase. A spectrophotometric method was developed to evaluate the potential of milk fermented with lactic acid bacteria to inhibit pancreatic lipase in vitro. Fermentates produced with Lactobacillus helveticus strains at 42 °C exhibited the highest levels of lipase inhibition, with strains SC8, SC44 and SC45 inhibiting pancreatic lipase by >49%, significantly higher than the activity of a milk control. In all cases activity was retained after removal of large proteins including casein and in the <3 kDa fraction, but not in the 3–10 kDa fraction. Although these results require validation with in vivo models, the strains L. helveticus SC8, SC44 and SC45 are good candidates for use in the production of functional food products with potential anti-obesity effects.