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Read the articleAUTHORS
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Anne LOMASCOLO: Engineer from the École nationale supérieure d'agronomie de Montpellier - Senior lecturer at the University of Provence, Marseille
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Laurence LESAGE-MEESSEN: Research associate, head of the fungal engineering team
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Marcel ASTHER: Research Director - - Researchers at the INRA filamentous fungi biotechnology unit of the IFR 86 agro-industrial biotechnology institute in Marseille, France
INTRODUCTION
Many micro-organisms, whether bacteria, yeasts or filamentous fungi, have long been known to produce particular odors, pleasant or unpleasant, when cultured.
The existence of species names such as "suaveolens", "fragrans" or "putrefaciens" clearly illustrates these odoriferous properties. These observations gave rise to the idea of producing flavors by biotechnological means, a promising alternative to chemical synthesis and extraction from plant raw materials, enabling us to obtain molecules with the "natural" label.
The principle of microbial flavor production is as follows: after being cultivated on a sweet nutrient medium, microorganisms are able to synthesize flavor "de novo" or by biotransformation of a substrate (containing flavor precursors) added to the culture medium. The odorant molecules are then recovered by distillation or solvent extraction.
Among micro-organisms, filamentous fungi, and in particular white wood-rot fungi (the only organisms capable of completely degrading lignin), are capable of synthesizing a broad spectrum of aromas very similar to those found in plants, and very varied: aliphatic aromas (alcohols, aldehydes, ketones), benzene-ring aromas (such as vanillin or benzaldehyde) or terpenoids (such as linalool or citronellol).
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Production of "natural" aromas by filamentous fungi
Advantages of the biotechnology route
Further reading
Further information on vanillin production
Two patents concerning the production of vanillin not by filamentous fungi but by bacteria mention levels in excess of 10 g · L -1 . In both cases, the substrate for bioconversion is chemically synthesized ferulic acid: - Givaudan-Roure patent: MUHEIM (A.), MÜLLER (B.), MÜNCH (T.) and WETLI (M.). Process for the production of vanillin. European Patent...
Regulations
European Council Directive 88/388/EEC of June 22, 1988 on "the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to flavourings for use in foodstuffs and to source materials for their production". Official Journal of the European Communities No. L. 184 p. 61-66.
European Commission Directive 91/71/EEC of January 16, 1991 supplementing Directive 88/388/EEC on "the approximation of the laws of...
Flavor suppliers
Actif International Albert Daniel Alchim Aromatiques ALP Amcan Ingredients INT'L Argeville Aromatech Aromex Axxence BASF France BFA Laboratoires Bourgarel Brenntag Bush Boake Allen France Christian Hansen France Compagnie Alimentaire Danisco Ingredients France Ducros et Fils SA Eurovanille Fontarome Frey + Lau GmbH (Germany) Givaudan-Roure Dallant SA (Spain) Haarmann & Reimer SA Helm France International Flavors &...
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