Bioconversion of lutein to products with aroma

A residual mud sample from the marigold flower dehydration process was scre ened and 19 putative colonies were isolated for their ability to degrade lu tein in a chemically defined medium supplemented with marigold flower flour as a carbon source. Among the colonies isolated, two generated volatile co mpounds in fermentation and one was chosen for further study for its abilit y to produce a strong tobacco smell. This colony contained two microorganis ms, identified as Geotrichum sp. and Bacillus sp. The aroma production requ ires the presence of both microorganisms and lutein. Using gas chromatograp hy coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS), four compounds were identified: 7, 8-dihydro-beta -ionol, beta -ionone, 7,8-dihydro-beta -ionone, and 3-hydrox y-beta -ionone, in proportions of 84.2%, 9.4%, 3.5%, and 2.9%, respectively .