Advantages of the biotechnology route

Flavors are strategic compounds for the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. They represent a sizeable market estimated at around 4 to 5 billion dollars [1] , accounting for around 25% of all food additives, and growing at an annual rate of 4 to 5%. Extraction from plant raw materials and chemical synthesis are the classic methods for producing [18] flavors. They do, however, have their drawbacks.

Until now, plants have traditionally been the main source of natural aromatic compounds. However, aromatic compounds are present in very low concentrations, making them difficult and costly to extract. What's more, agricultural production of aromatic plants is seasonal, quantitatively limited and subject to the vagaries of disease,...