Enhancing bioflavor production by solid-state fermentation using Kluyveromyces marxianus and l-phenylalanine

This study includes the utilization of sweet lemon peel (SLP) and sugarcane bagasse (SB) in solid-state fermentation using Kluyveromyces marxianus for bioflavor compounds production adopting response surface methodology. The major flavor compounds, 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) and 2-phenylethyl acetate (2-PEA) were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with and without adding any supplements. Quantification of flavor compounds indicated that without adding any accessory in the substrate, the concentration of 2-PE using SLP and SB was 0.15 ± 0.003 mg/g and 0.14 ± 0.002 mg/g, respectively. Whereas 2-PEA concentration using SLP and SB was observed as 0.01 ± 0.008 mg/g and 0.02 ± 0.001 mg/g, respectively. The addition of l-phenylalanine (l-phe) in the substrates showed 30%-75% enhancement in the production of 2-PE and 2-PEA. The present study indicates that the K. marxianus is a potential microbial cell factory for the production of 2-PE and 2-PEA with the addition of synthetic l-phe having a plethora of applications in food and pharmaceutical industries.