3. Examples of solid/gas biocatalysis applications

3.1 Use of purified lipases to produce natural esters with flavor properties

Esters are an important class of aroma compounds. The vast majority of linear esters are responsible for floral and fruity notes, and are used extensively in the food and perfume industries. Many molecules of economic interest, such as acetic, propionic, butyric and iso-butyric acid esters, are very easily produced by chemical synthesis, provided the natural character of the molecule is not desired. The case of natural flavoring substances is different, since their production is very often the fruit of extraction processes (dependent on seasonal, climatic and/or geographical variations) or the result of fermentation processes in which product recovery is often the critical point. An enzymatic biotechnological...