Production of 2-phenylethyl alcohol by Kluyveromyces marxianus

Among the numerous yeasts able to produce flavor compounds, several strains of Kluyveromyces species are known for the synthesis of large amounts of aromatic compounds. In particular, the accumulation of 2-phenylethyl alcohol in liquid cultures of Kluyveromyces marxianus was observed after incubation on a semisynthetic medium at 30 degrees C, 125 rpm. Changes in the carbon sources led to a significant modification of the amount of this aromatic compound; moreover, the variations in the level of DL-phenylalanine and the exclusive use of a precursor isomer (L) also affected the synthesis of 2-phenylethyl alcohol. Finally, this study revealed the growth inhibition of K. marxianus when the concentration of 2-phenylethyl alcohol reached a critical value near 1.4 g/L; the use of an exponential model allowed the inhibition constant k(i) to be determined (k(i) = 0.35 g/L).