2.4. Bile salt hydrolase activity
The ability of strains to deconjugate or hydrolyze bile salts
was determined according to the method of Dashkevicz and
Feighner (1989). Test plates were prepared with0.5%(w/v)of
Taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA)in the MRS agar medium. The
Strains were streaked on the media and the plates were
incubated anaerobically using Anaerocult R A (Merck,Ger-
many) in anaerobic jarat 37 1C/30 1C for48–72 h. The pre-
sence of precipitated bile acidaround colonies (opaquehalo)
was considered as positive result.