Microbial production of coconut aroma

This research was carried out in order to produce a natural flavor compound by biotechnological processes since there is a distinct trend toward "natural" compounds in a growing world market. Therefore, a coconut aroma (6-pentyl-apyrone) was tried to be produced by using the filamentous fungus Trichoderma viride to give the flavor "a natural status". Trichoderma viride was cultivated on potato dextrose broth. Fermentation was carried out using surface and submerged culture methods. A novel study of fermentation with two-phase system was also examined. Quantity analyses of 6-pentyl-a-pyrone were performed on different parameters such as pH, temperature and substrate concentration. Flavor isolation was carried out by steam distillation and direct solvent extraction of fermented broth. It was found that optimum flavor quantity was obtained at 25±1 °C and pH=5.6. Also maximum quantity of the flavor was observed to be 533 mg/L when fermentation was carried out in two-phase system of water-octane with wood support at 25±1 °C and pH=5.6. Decrease in temperature (25-* 20°C) caused decrease in quantity (69 -* 14 mg/L) of lactone produced and an increase in temperature (25 ->. 28°C) caused an increase in the quantity of total aroma produced but no change (69 - ? 70 mg/L) in the quantity of lactone. It illwas also observed that B-vitamins have a positive effect on the quantity which was found to be 136 mg/L at pH=5.6 and 25±1 °C in submerged culture fermentation. From the analysis of the results, it is concluded that fermentation in two- phase system for the production of 6-pentyl-ot- pyrone exhibits more advantages from the quantity and quality points. KeyWords: Coconut aroma, 6-pentyl-ot-pyrone, Trichoderma viride. Two-phase Fermentation, Surface and Submerged Culture Fermentation. IV