Bactericidal activities of milk lipids

The bactericidal capacity of digestion products of bovine milk triglycerides and membrane lipids was tested in vitro using Escherichia call O157:H7, Salmonella enteritidis, Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes, and Clostridium perfringens. C-10:0 and C-12:0 Fatty acids and digestion products of sphingolipids appeared to be effective bactericidal agents, whereas digestion products of phosphoglycerides were moderately bactericidal. Thus, milk fat sphingolipids and triglycerides, particularly those containing C-10:(0) and C-12:(0) fatty acids, may protect against food-borne gastroenteritis,