PRODUCTION OF METHOXYPHENOL-TYPE NATURAL AROMA CHEMICALS BY BIOTRANSFORMATION OF EUGENOL WITH A NEW PSEUDOMONAS SP

In our screening program for microorganisms that are able to metaboliz e eugenol, the main component of the essential oil of the clove tree S yzigium aromaticum (sy. Eugenia cariophyllus), we found a new Pseudomo nas sp. that produces several substituted methoxyphenols when eugenol is fed to the culture. A taxonomic characterization of this new organi sm has been performed. Examples of the biotransformation products, pro duced in high amounts, were vanillic acid with 3.25 g/l within 99 h. f erulic acid with 5.8 g/l within 75 h and coniferyl alcohol with 3.22 g /l within 47.5 h. By changing the culture conditions the ratio of the different metabolites could be varied. Based on these results a scheme for the degradation of eugenol by this strain has been established.