Hypocholesterolaemic effect of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (Bb12) and trypsin casein hydrolysate

Hypercholesterolaemia is one of the most important risk factors in the development of cardiovascular disease. In this study, we report the in vitro potential of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (Bb12) cultures and bovine casein hydrolysates formed by trypsin and Bb12 culture to reduce cholesterols levels. Cholesterol levels in vitro were reduced by up to 48% after incubation with Bb12 and up to 87% after incubation with trypsin hydrolysates, whereas unhydrolysed bovine casein did not affect cholesterol levels. Individual peptide fractions, obtained from size-exclusion chromatography, from casein hydrolysates formed by trypsin after a 48 h hydrolysis, reduced cholesterol levels by 2.7–50%. The molecular masses of these fractions, containing hypocholesterolaemic peptides, were below 1200 Da, as determined by LC-MS.