Microbial fermentation of separated egg yolks was carried out at 25-de
grees-C for up to 9 days using a Bacillus coagulans strain B1. Yolk sa
mples were analyzed for cholesterol prior to and following fermentatio
n. Little change in cholesterol was observed during the first 2 days o
f fermentation although after 5 days and after 8 days it was reduced b
y 32.9 and 49.6%, respectively. During the last 2 days of fermentation
, the reduction in cholesterol levelled off at 49.6%. Examination of t
he cholesterol products formed showed that 35% of cholesterol was oxid
ized with 12% of products identified. Of those identified, the major o
nes were 7beta-hydroxycholesterol (32.5%), cholesterol triol (19.2%),
7alpha-hydroxycholesterol (19.1%) and 25-hydroxycholesterol (7.2%).