**7.4 Release of cholesterol bound by** *Lactococcus* **in the conditions of simulated intestinal fluid**

Ziarno [4] studied whether the cholesterol previously bound by *Lactococcus* cells is released under the conditions of simulated intestinal fluid. It was determined that certain isolates of *Lactococcus lactis* released up to 60–90% of cholesterol, which was earlier bound by these cells. Lower amount of cholesterol under conditions of simulated intestinal fluid is released by *Lactococcus lactis* cells (average of 45%), meaning that in these bacteria cultures cholesterol was bound with sufficient force by the cell wall so that it was not released under the conditions of simulated intestinal fluid. This may confirm the hypothesis of Lee et al. [84] on structural changes in the wall of dead bacterial cells.
