Methyl Ketone Formation by Penicillium camemberti in Model Systems

Abstract

Penicillium camemberti incubated in a model system containing milk lipids (45 mM) caused hydrolysis of the lipids with subsequent oxidation of the free fatty acids to carbonyl compounds of which approximately 60% was composed of methyl ketones, mainly of 2-nonanone and 2-undecanone. The addition of lipase greatly enhanced carbonyl production by the mycelium. Incubation in the presence of sodium laurate (45 mM) reduced mycelium growth, but extensive synthesis of undecanone occurred. The mycelium was more tolerant to exogenous oleic acid and produced mostly heptanone and nonanone. © 1985, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.