Production of gamma-decalactone by a psychrophilic and a mesophilic strain of the yeast Rhodotorula aurantiaca.

Among 18 psychrophilic strains isolated near the Antarctic Station, the psychrophilic strain Rhodotorula aurantiaca A19 was selected for its ability of growth and gamma-decalactone production at low temperatures. The effects of temperature, initial pH, and castor oil concentration on the growth and gamma-decalactone production by a psychrophilic and a mesophilic strain of R. aurantiaca were investigated. The highest gamma-decalactone production in flasks (5.8 g/l) was obtained with the strain A19 at 14 degrees C and initial pH 7.0 in medium containing 20 g/l castor oil. On the other hand, these factors did not affect the production of gamma-decalactone by the mesophilic strain. In fermentor, a gamma-decalactone concentration of 6.6 g/l was reached with the strain A19, whereas a maximum of 0.1 g/l was obtained with the mesophilic strain. Our results suggest that the ability to synthesize gamma-decalactone is a particularity of the strain A19, since the mesophilic strain (no. 30645) produced small amounts, and the other (no. 31354) did not exhibit this property. It is, to our knowledge, the first report of gamma-decalactone production by R. aurantiaca and furthermore by a psychrophilic yeast strain. Moreover, the amount of gamma-decalactone obtained in fermentor with the strain 19 was on the order of concentrations usually described in patents.