KINETICS OF THE LIPASE-CATALYZED HYDROLYSIS OF FAT IN FERMENTATION BROTHS

The production of flavor compounds by fermentation processes has been investigated for many years. The studies presented in this article deal with one of the first steps of the flavor generation, the lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of fat. The production of a cheese flavor concentrate has been studied. The fermentation system consisted of different lipases and the microorganism Penicillium roquefortii. Free fatty acids liberated by the lipases are precursor for the formation of flavor compounds by the microorganism. Results showing the influence of enzyme concentration, pH-value, temperature, and quality of the emulsion on the kinetics of lipolysis are presented and discussed.