Production of food additive by microbial transformation method

Various additives are used in food substances in. order to modify their functional properties and to make them long lived. Volatile oils are also used as additives in various food substances. In recent years, the demand of consumers for natural products has been increasing. Biotransformation one of the methods of biotechnology is considered as a natural product. Substances produced from biotransformation process, in which the bacteria, yeast and moulds are used, are known as harmless for the human health. For this reason, it can be said that the production of many food additive substances can be done by biotransformation. However, it can also be said that the studies done in Turkey and also in the world about this subject are not enough. In this study, mainly biotransformation process is tried by using microorganisms and it is determined that ten microorganisms out of eighteen did biotransformation. Mi-Mn metabolites are produced with the products produced from these microorganisms. However, these are not defined. Menthofurane is produced from Menthone by using Aspergillus niger. Menthole is produced from Menthone by using Penicillium expensum-2. Biotransformation did not take place when the volatile oils are used. Keywords: Biotransformation, terpene, volatile oils, flavour, menthol