A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE MEMBRANE LIPID OF Halobacterium halobium AS A FOOD ADDITIVE

A preliminary investigation of the membrane lipid of Halobacterium halobium as a food additive. F. J. Post and N. F. Collins, Biology Department, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322. A study was made of the suitability of the diether phytanyl phosphatidyl glycerol phosphate lipid component of the cell membrane of Halobacterium halobium NRC 34003 as a potential food additive. The lipid was shown to be a possible emulsifier with a hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) of 7–8 producing a water in oil emulsion. Its use as a possible noncaloric fat substitute is also discussed. The lipid had a melting point at -120 to -150 C and was nontoxic at an 0.8 g kg-1, one-dose exposure to mice either by feeding or by intraperitoneal injection. Some methods for increasing the yield of lipid are proposed.