The effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids of fish oil on the growth and cholesterol-degrading activity of bifidobacteria

The effect of different concentrations of fish oil on the accumulation of biomass and the number of viable cells of bifidobacteria was studied. It was found that with an increase in the concentration of fish oil in the nutrient medium leads to a rise of the biochemical activity of all studied strains of bifidobacteria. A similar dynamics was observed in the study of the cholesterol-degrading activity of bifidobacteria. An increase in the concentration of fish oil led to a more active destruction of cholesterol in the nutrient medium. It is necessary to note that the greatest biochemical and cholesterol metabolizing activity was observed with the use of Bifidobacterium bifidum 83. The results of this study have shown that eicosopentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid, present in fish oil, have a stimulating effect on bifidobacteria and increase cholesterol-degrading activity. The addition of fish oil in concentration 1.5% intensifies the accumulation of biomass, increases the number of viable cells of bifidobacteria and provides a high degree of destruction of cholesterol in the nutrient medium.