Degradation of cholesterol by Bacillus subtilis SFF34 in flatfish during fermentation

Bacillus subtilis SFF34 degrading cholesterol was applied to reduce residual cholesterol content in fermented flatfish. When the bacterial cells were inoculated as a start culture, a maximal level (1.7 U/g) of cholesterol oxidase was obtained after 10 days, which was two times higher than that (0.8 U/g) without inoculation. Residual cholesterol contents with and without inoculation of the cells were 0.5 mg/g and 0.8 mg/g after 12 days of fermentation, respectively. Cholesterol derivatives including cholesterol-5alpha, 6alpha-epoxide, 4-cholesten-3-one and 7beta-hydroxycholesterol were detected in raw flatfish as well as fermented flatfish. Campesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol were detected only after fermentation. However, no significant differences in their contents were observed regardless of inoculation.