Abstract: The present invention lies in the field of food ingredients and concerns a method for the production of dihydrochalcones from various educts as well as the corresponding enzymes, which are used for the production of dihydrochalcones. Furthermore, the present invention concerns transgenic microorganisms and vectors for expressing the enzymes according to the invention.

Abstract: The present invention primarily relates to a process for production of one or more flavourings selected from the group consisting of non-saturated aldehydes, non-saturated lactones and organosulphuric compounds, the process comprising providing a culture medium comprising one or more components supporting growth of a fungus from the phylum Basidiomycota and being convertable to one or more flavourings selected from the group consisting of non-saturated aldehydes, non-saturated lactones and organosulfur aroma compounds; cultivating a fungus from the phylum Basidiomycota in or on the culture medium under conditions that support the growth of the fungus and formation of the one or more flavourings, and optionally recovering the one or more flavourings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to biotechnological methods for the production of saturated as well as unsaturated aldehydes, and mixtures thereof using at least one alpha-dioxygenase and at least one aldehyde dehydrogenase. The method may be carried out either fermentatively or enzymatically. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a vector system, as well as sequences and recombinant microorganisms encoding the enzymes that can be used to produce the aldehydes and mixtures according to the invention. Further, the present invention relates to compositions obtained by the methods according to the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biocatalytical method for manufacturing of homoeriodictyol dihydrochalcone and/or hesperetin dihydrochalcone by providing at least one first biocatalyst system for the hydroxylation of phloretin and/or its glycosides as well as at least one second biocatalyst for the methylation of 3-hydroxyphloretin. Further disclosed are microorganisms capable of producing such biocatalysts as well as sequences encoding the biocatalysts. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of a mixture obtained by a method as disclosed in the present invention and to specific compositions suitable as sweetness enhancers and/or flavouring agents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biocatalytic process for producing an aroma substance or a mixture of aroma substances, comprising the steps of: providing a conversion medium comprising a plant component of the gooseber-ry family, the rose family and/or the grapevine family; contacting the conversion medium with at least one fungus from the division of stander fungi capable of forming an aroma substance or a mixture of aroma sub-stances on the conversion medium; converting the plant component to the aroma substance or mixture of aroma substances with the aid of the fungus; and optionally recovering the aroma substance or mixture of aroma substances, wherein the aroma substance or mixture of aroma substances preferably com-prises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of 2-octanone, 2-nonanone, 2-undecanone, linalool oxides, benzaldehyde, geraniol, 2-octanol, methylanthranilate, 2-aminobenzaldehyde and linalool.

Abstract: The present invention relates to genetically modified enzymes obtained by rational design of the active site binding pocket of the prototypic enzyme 4-hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylase (4HPA3H) for hydroxylating a 4-hydroxyphenyl compound to yield a 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl compound and to biotechnological methods including in vivo and in vitro methods using said enzymes or catalytically active fragments thereof. Further provided is a method either using a suitable oxidase or hydroxylase further enabling the subsequent site specific methylation of the 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl compound in a coupled enzymatic reaction by providing a suitable O-methyltransferase. Finally, compositions obtainable by the aforementioned methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for producing branched aldehydes is proposed, the method comprising the following steps: (a) providing a culture of one or more fungi of the genus Conidiobolus and producing biomass containing branched carboxylic acids in free and/or bound form; (b) extracting the biomass from step (a) to produce a first intermediate containing free and/or bound carboxylic acids; (c) optionally chemically, enzymatically or microbially hydrolyzing the bound carboxylic acids from the first intermediate; (d) treating the first intermediate with a reducing agent of a chemical nature to convert the free and/or bound carboxylic acids into the corresponding alcohols and optionally separating one or more alcohols from interfering by-products and producing the chemically produced second intermediate containing these alcohols as a mixture or in enriched form; (e) treating the first intermediate with a reducing agent of a biological nature to convert the free and/or bound carboxylic acids into the corresponding aldehydes havin

Abstract: A method for producing branched aldehydes is proposed, the method comprising the following steps: (a) providing a culture of one or more fungi of the genus Conidiobolus and producing biomass containing branched carboxylic acids in free and/or bound form; (b) extracting the biomass from step (a) to produce a first intermediate containing free and/or bound carboxylic acids; (c) optionally chemically, enzymatically or microbially hydrolyzing the bound carboxylic acids from the first intermediate; (d) treating the first intermediate with a reducing agent of a chemical nature to convert the free and/or bound carboxylic acids into the corresponding alcohols and optionally separating one or more alcohols from interfering by-products and producing the chemically produced second intermediate containing these alcohols as a mixture or in enriched form; (e) treating the first intermediate with a reducing agent of a biological nature to convert the free and/or bound carboxylic acids into the corresponding aldehydes havin

Abstract: A method is proposed for producing flavonoids, comprising the steps: (a) providing of a transgenic microorganism, containing (i) a first nucleic acid section (A), comprising or consisting of a gene coding for a CYP450 oxidase, (ii) a second nucleic acid section (B), comprising or consisting of a gene coding for a plant O-methyltransferase, and (b) adding of one or more flavanones to the transgenic microorganism, (c) the conversion of the substrate flavanones by the transgenic microorganism to the corresponding flavonoids, and optionally (d) isolating and purifying of the final products.

Abstract: Proposed are mixtures of substances containing (a) phloretin, (b) naringenin, (c) at least one further sweet substance other than phloretin and naringenin, and optionally (d) at least one flavoring substance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to genetically modified enzymes obtained by rational design of the active site binding pocket of the prototypic enzyme 4-hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylase (4HPA3H) for hydroxylating a 4-hydroxyphenyl compound to yield a 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl compound and to biotechnological methods including in vivo and in vitro methods using said enzymes or catalytically active fragments thereof. Further provided is a method either using a suitable oxidase or hydroxylase further enabling the subsequent site specific methylation of the 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl compound in a coupled enzymatic reaction by providing a suitable O-methyltransferase. Finally, compositions obtainable by the aforementioned methods are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to providing both fermentative and biotechnological methods for producing 3,4-methylized cinnamic acids, 3,4-methylized cinnamic acid esters, 3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine, and 4-methylized cinnamic acid amides using a 4?-O-methyltransferase, optionally in combination with further enzymes, wherein the enzymes are selected by means of metabolic engineering and operation have been adapted by targeted optimization, and compositions obtained by means of the method. The invention further relates to vector systems, recombinant microorganisms or fungi, and specific nucleic acid segments and polypeptides.

Abstract: The invention relates to providing both fermentative and biotechnological methods for producing 3,4-methylized cinnamic acids, 3,4-methylized cinnamic acid esters, 3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine, and 4-methylized cinnamic acid amides using a 4?-O-methyltransferase, optionally in combination with further enzymes, wherein the enzymes are selected by means of metabolic engineering and operation have been adapted by targeted optimization, and compositions obtained by means of the method. The invention further relates to vector systems, recombinant microorganisms or fungi, and specific nucleic acid segments and polypeptides.