A number of assay protocols are employed for
lipase assay due to the wide substrate specificity oflipases. Determination of lipase activity at the lipidwater
interface is also indicative of free lipase. As
with all reactions catalyzed by enzymes, activity
measurements can be carried out using various
physico-chemical methods by monitoring the disappearance
of the substrate or by the release of the
product. Numerous methods are available for
measuring the hydrolytic activity as well as the
detection of lipase. The methods may be classified
as9: (i) Titrimetry, (ii) Spectroscopy (Photometry,
Fluorimetry and Infrared), (iii) Chromatography, (iv)
Radio activity, (v) Interfacial tensiometry, (vi) Turbidimetry,
(vii) Conductimetry, (viii) Immunochemistry,
and (ix) Microscopy. The general triacylglycerol
hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by lipases can be
written as