BIOCONVERSION OF METHYL RICINOLEATE TO 4-HYDROXY-DECANOIC ACID AND TOGAMMA-DECALACTONE BY YEASTS OF THE GENUS CANDIDA

The capacity of several strains of yeasts to do the bioconversion of m ethyl ricinoleate into gamma-decalactone, was studied in a medium cont aining this methylic ester of fatty acid as sole carbon source. Amongs t the strains which are able to do this bioconversion, two types of be haviour are observed: same of the strains produce gamma-decalactone du ring all the incubation in bioconversion medium while others produce t his aroma compound very quickly and then consume it fast too. The test ed strains produce at the same lime gamma-decalactone and the correspo nding acid form (4-hydroxy-decanoic acid), and this, in variable propo rtions.