Rapid Screening Method for Analyzing the Conjugated Linoleic Acid Production Capabilities of Bacterial Cultures

In this paper we describe a rapid method for identifying bacteria which convert free linoleic acid to conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). This method is based on spectrophotometric detection of CLA and compares well with the standard gas-liquid chromatography method. This method should facilitate high-throughput screening of bacterial isolates for the ability to produce conjugated fatty acids.