Abstract: Nine lactic acid bacteria(LAB) species (strains) which can assimilate 40% cholesterol from food (butter) culture media are screened from 14 species(strains), in which 3 species(strains) can assimilate 45% cholesterol. They could be applied to the production of fermented low - cholesterol food. The result shows that the ability of LAB to remove cholesterol from food media may be due to the assilimation of cholestero, white the coprecipition with cholesterol is not significant.

Key words: Lactic acid bacteria Cholesterol Butter Assilimation.