Oakmoss Impact Volatiles Generated by a Basidiomycete of the Genus Polyporus

A Polyporus sp. generated characteristic oakmoss flavour components such as methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethyl benzoate (evernyl, methyl beta-orcinate), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-6-methyl benzoic acid (everninic acid), 3-hydroxy-5-methyl phenol (orcinol) and 3-methoxy-2,5-dimethyl phenol (beta-orcine monomethylether) when grown in submerged culture. Volatile compounds were isolated from the culture medium by solvent extraction and an adsorption technique. Gas chromatographic methods and, because certain compounds were not sufficiently volatile or too unstable at elevated temperatures, a specially developed HPLC method were applied to characterize the fungal metabolites. As well as oakmoss components, the Polyporus sp. produced many other volatiles, such as the sesquiterpene 7 beta-hydroxydihydrodrimenin, phenolics, and aliphatic alcohols.