Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel flavoring solution for making pickles having a flavor of foods pickled in rice bran paste (hereinafter referred to as a bran pickles flavoring solution), a clear bran pickles flavoring solution, processes for producing said solutions, a novel microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium used for the production of said flavoring solutions, and a process for producing a solution containing a lactone wherein the lactone is selectively extracted from a culture of a lactone-producing microorganism. The present invention also relates to a novel bacterium of the genus Corynebacterium which has the ability to produce ?-dodecalactone and/or ?-dodecelactone and is useful for the production of said bran pickles flavoring solutions.

Abstract: The process which comprises causing cells or a culture of a microorganism having the activity to introduce hydroxy into the [n-5]-position (n is an even number of 10 or more) and hydrogen into the [n-6]-position of a straight-chain fatty acid having n carbon atoms wherein at least the [n-6]-position is a double bond to make the [n-6]-position a single bond or a treated matter thereof to act on a straight-chain fatty acid having n carbon atoms wherein at least the [n-6]-position is a double bond or a composition containing the fatty acid to form an [n-5]-hydroxy fatty acid wherein the [n-6]-position is a single bond, causing cells or a culture of a microorganism having the activity to &bgr;-oxidize an [n-5]-hydroxy fatty acid wherein the [n-6]-position is a single bond or a treated matter thereof to act on the formed [n-5]-hydroxy fatty acid, and recovering the formed &dgr;-lactones.

Abstract: The process which comprises causing cells or a culture of a microorganism having the activity to introduce hydroxy into the [n-5]-position (n is an even number of 10 or more) and hydrogen into the [n-6]-position of a straight-chain fatty acid having n carbon atoms wherein at least the [n-6]-position is a double bond to make the [n-6]-position a single bond or a treated matter thereof to act on a straight-chain fatty acid having n carbon atoms wherein at least the [n-6]-position is a double bond or a composition containing the fatty acid to form an [n-5]-hydroxy fatty acid wherein the [n-6]-position is a single bond, causing cells or a culture of a microorganism having the activity to &bgr;-oxidize an [n-5]-hydroxy fatty acid wherein the [n-6 ]-position is-a single bond or a treated matter thereof to act on the formed [n-5]-hydroxy fatty acid, and recovering the formed &dgr;-lactones.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel flavoring solution for making pickles having a flavor of foods pickled in rice bran paste (hereinafter referred to as a bran pickles flavoring solution), a clear bran pickles flavoring solution, processes for producing said solutions, a novel microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium used for the production of said flavoring solutions, and a process for producing a solution containing a lactone wherein the lactone is selectively extracted from a culture of a lactone-producing microorganism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel flavoring solution for making pickles having a flavor of foods pickled in rice bran paste (hereinafter referred to as a bran pickles flavoring solution), a clear bran pickles flavoring solution, processes for producing said solutions, a novel microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium used for the production of said flavoring solutions, and a process for producing a solution containing a lactone wherein the lactone is selectively extracted from a culture of a lactone-producing microorganism. The present invention also relates to a novel bacterium of the genus Corynebacterium which has the ability to produce &ggr;-dodecalactone and/or &ggr;-dodecelactone and is useful for the production of said bran pickles flavoring solutions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel flavoring solution for making pickles having a flavor of foods pickled in rice bran paste (hereinafter referred to as a bran pickles flavoring solution), a clear bran pickles flavoring solution, processes for producing said solutions, a novel microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium used for the production of said flavoring solutions, and a process for producing a solution containing a lactone wherein the lactone is selectively extracted from a culture of a lactone-producing microorganism.

Abstract: A flavoring solution for making pickles having a flavor of foods pickled in rice bran paste, a clear bran pickles flavoring solution, processes for producing the flavoring solutions, a process for producing lactones which are essential components of the flavoring solutions, and a bacterium belonging to the genus Corynebacterium which is useful for producing a lactone are disclosed. The bacterium is preferably Corynebacterium sp. NK-1 (FERM BP-6329). The lactone is preferably a &ggr; lactone.