Carbonyl Compounds Produced by Cryptomonas ovata var. palustris*

SYNOPSIS. Some neutral carbonyl compounds synthesized by Cryptomonas, ovata var. palustris were identified as methanal, ethanal, 2-propanone, pentanal, and heptanal by means of thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography and infrared spectroscopy.     

Analysis of Volatile Components in Rice Bran

Volatiles stripped from rice bran are analyzed by gas chromatography and thin-layer chromatography either directly or after converted into 2, 4-DNPH’s or 3, 5-DNB’s. Most of prominent peaks revealed by a direct gas chromatography of the volatiles condensates behave as alcohols against classification reagents and are identified as methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, sec-butanol, isobutanol, n-butanol, isopentanol, n-pentanol and n-hexanol, respectively. Ethanol and methanol, being major components in the condensates are also detected by thin-layer chromatography of their 3, 5-DNB’s. Carbonyls identified by a flash exchange gas chromatography of 2, 4-DNPH’s of the volatiles are ethanal, propanal, isobutanal, acetone, n-butanal, isopentanal, n-pentanal and n-hexanal. Thin-layer chromatography of 2, 4-DNPH’s reveals presence of ethanal, acetone, isopentanal or/and isobutanal and n-hexanal in the volatiles. The experimental data have been integrated to furnish a basis for extensive comparison with other rice products and by-products.     

Studies on Flavor Components in Soybean

Volatile neutral fraction of flavor components in raw soybean was investigated. Ground raw soybean was packed in a glass column, warmed at about 50°C by a water-jacket column, and swept with nitrogen gas. Volatile materials swept out were trapped in bottles dipped in ice-water, solid carbon dioxide-acetone and liquid nitrogen in this order, and were submitted to gas chromatography. The peaks corresponding to basic and carbonyl compounds were eliminated by treating the original volatile materials with 2, 4-dinitro-phenylhydrazine in phosphoric acid, and the residual peaks were compared with authentic alcohols and esters.

Methanol, ethanol, 2-pentanol, isopentanol, n-pentanol, n-hexanol and n-heptanol were found as alcohols, and n-pentanol acetate was found as an ester. Other methods of identification of alcohols were carried out by introducing these into 3, 5-dinitrobenzoate derivatives, which were investigated by thin-layer and paper chromatographies.

Isopentanol, n-hexanol and n-heptanol were considered to be important factors among the volatile neutral components, which gave green bean-like odor to soybean.     

Formation of Aldehyde Flavor (n-hexanal, 3Z-nonenal and 2E-nonenal) in the Brown Alga, Laminaria Angustata

2E-Nonenal and n-hexanal are the major and minor flavor compounds in the edible brown alga, Laminaria angustata, respectively. They are believed to characterize the flavor of this alga. However the metabolism of the two compounds is not precisely known. The pathways were clarified by elucidation of the intermediate structure through purification of the intermediate compounds from an enzymatic reaction and identification using HPLC and GC-MS techniques. Formation of n-hexanal, 3Z-nonenal and 2E-nonenal are proposed to be via two cascades from unsaturated fatty acids. They are C18:2(n-6), linoleic acid cascade and C20:4(n-6), arachidonic acid cascade through their hydroperoxides as intermediates by the lipoxygenase/fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase pathway.     

Enzymatic Improvement of Food Flavor IV. Oxidation of Aldehydes in Soybean Extracts by Aldehyde Oxidase

Aldehyde oxidase (aldehyde: oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.2.3.1) was partially purified from bovine liver. The enzyme irreversibly oxidized various aldehydes to the corresponding acids by using dissolved oxygen as an electron acceptor. Although the Km value for n-hexanal was low (6 µm), that for acetaldehyde was high (20 mm).

Medium-chain aldehydes such as hexanal and pentanal appear to be mainly responsible for green beany odor of soybean products. A great reduction in the beany odor was observed after the soybean extract was incubated with aldehyde oxidase under aerobic conditions. Dissolved oxygen was utilized as the electron acceptor throughout the enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of aldehydes and none of other cofactors were found to be required.

It has been shown that bovine liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase oxidizes the soybean protein-bound aldehyde with a rate comparable to that for free n-hexanal (Agric. Biol. Chem., 43, in press). Comparative studies of aldehyde oxidase and aldehyde dehydrogenase with respect to oxidation-rates of free aldehydes and the soybean protein-bound aldehydes indicated that aldehyde oxidase acted on the bound aldehyde with a much slower rate.     

Applying Proteolytic Enzymes on Soybean

An indole derivative having blue fluorescence was produced in cooked soybean digested at 37°C for 24 hr with an acid proteinase Molsin (optimum pH: 2.8) from Aspergillus saitoi or a usual acid proteinase pepsin (optimum pH: 1.6) from beef stomach. This indole derivative was identical with a condensation product from l-tryptophan and n-hexanal. Based on MS, NMR, IR and UV spectrometry, the condensation product was identified as l-pentyl-2, 3, 4, 9-tetrahydro-lH-pyrido [3, 4-b]-indole-3-carboxylic acid [trivial name: 1-pentyl-l, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydro-2-carboline carboxylic acid-(3)].

Data were presented of the formation of the above indole derivative and of the resulting consumption of l-tryptophan and n-hexanal.

The possible ocurrence of the formation of Harmala alkaloids, i.e. 2-carboline derivatives, through in vitro digestion of soybean with acid proteinases was discussed.

A carbonyl-trapping ability of l-tryptophan was suggested.     

Volatile C6-Aldehyde Formation via Hydroperoxides from C18-Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Etiolated Alfalfa and Cucumber Seedlings

1. Etiolated seedlings of alfalfa and cucumber evolved n-hexanal from linoleic acid and cis-3-hexenal and trans-2-hexenal from linolenic acid when they were homogenized.

2. The activities for n-hexanal formation from linoleic acid, lipoxygenase and hydro-peroxide lyase were maximum in dry seeds and 1~2 day-old etiolated seedlings of alfalfa, and in 6~7 day-old etiolated seedlings of cucumber.

3. n-Hexanal was produced from linoleic acid and 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid by the crude extracts of etiolated alfalfa and cucumber seedlings. cis-3-Hexenal and trans-2-hexenal were produced from linolenic acid and 13-hydroperoxylinolenic acid by the crude extracts of etiolated alfalfa and cucumber seedlings. But these extracts, particulariy cucumber one, showed a high isomerizing activity from cis-3-hexenal to trans-2-hexenal.

4. When the C₈-aldehydes were produced from linoleic acid and linolenic acid by the crude extracts, formation of hydroperoxides of these C₁₈-fatty acids was observed.

5. When 9-hydroperoxylinoleic acid was used as a substrate, trans-2-nonenal was produced by the cucumber homogenate but not by the alfalfa homogenate.

6. As the enzymes concerned with C₆-aldehyde formation, lipoxygenase was partially purified from alfalfa and cucumber seedlings and hydroperoxide lyase, from cucumber seedlings. Lipoxygenase was found in a soluble fraction, but hydroperoxide lyase was in a membrane bound form. Alfalfa lipoxygenase catalyzed formation of 9- and 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid (35: 65) from linoleic acid and cucumber one, mainly 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid formation. Alfalfa hydroperoxide lyase catalyzed n-hexanal formation from 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid, but cucumber one catalyzed formation of n-hexanal and trans-2-nonenal from 13- and 9-hydroperoxylinoleic acid, respectively.

7. From the above results, the biosynthetic pathway for C₆-aldehyde formation in etiolated alfalfa and cucumber seedlings is established that C₆-aldehydes (n-hexanal, cis-3-hexenal and trans-2-hexenal) are produced from linoleic acid and linolenic acid via their 13-hydroperoxides by lipoxygenase and hydroperoxide lyase.     

Studies on the Changes of the Milk Casein by Various Treatments

The volatile carbonyl compounds generated in casein solution heated at 140°C for 60 minutes were isolated as 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivatives. The mixture of derivatives were fractionated into 8 derivatives by column chromatography and preparative thin layer chromatography. Compounds identified were ethanal, propanai, 2-methylpropanal, 3-methylbutanai and 2-methylbutanal. Evidence was also presented for the occurrence of methanal, acetone and crotonal.

These compounds seemed to have some relation with heat induced flavor compounds in dairy products.     

Biotransformation of β-ketosulfides to produce chiral β-hydroxysulfoxides

The biotransformations of a series of substituted phenylthio-2-propanone and benzylthio-2-propanone were carried out using Helminthosporium sp. NRRL 4671, Mortierella isabellina ATCC 42613, or Rhodococcus erythropolis IGTS8. Several products gave microbial oxidation of sulfide to sulfoxide and reduction of carbonyl to secondary alcohol, producing β-hydroxysulfoxides in medium to high enantiomeric and diastereomeric purities. Fungal biotransformations using Helminthosporium sp. and M. isabellina resulted in the opposite sulfoxide configurations of various β-hydroxysulfoxide products.     

Studies on Cereals

Five carbonyl compounds were found in the vapour of cooked rice, of which acetaldehyde, and n-caproaldehyde were identified from their retention times in gas chromatography and by their infrared spectra. Propionaldehyde or acetone, methylethylketone, and n-valeraldehyde were tentatively identified. The mechanisms of the formation of these carbonyl compounds were discussed from the view-point of Strecker degradation and lipid oxidation.

When stored rice (40°C, two months) was cooked, the stale flavor (komai-shu) was clearly detected by sensory test. Direct gas chromatographic analysis of head space vapors over cooked rice showed three main peaks which corresponded to propionaldehyde or acetone, n-valeraldehyde and n-caproaldehyde. On the other hand, the content of linoleic and linolenic acids of the rice decreased during storage at 40°C. This means that the unsaturated fatty acids autoxidized during storage and gave rise to carbonyl compounds responsible for the stale flavor of cooked rice.     

Studies on the Photolysis of Sulfur Containing Compounds in Foods

The aqueous solutions of 2-alkyl-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acids and mercaptals of l-cysteine were exposed to sunlight in the presence of a small amount of riboflavin. Hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide and carbonyl compounds were the photolysis products.

As for the carbonyl compounds, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were identified from thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid and djenkolic acid, acetaldehyde from 2-methyl-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid and l-cysteine-mercaptal of acetaldehyde, and acetaldehyde and n-butyraldehyde from 2-n-propyl-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid and l-cysteine-mercaptal of n-butyraldehyde.     

Stink Bug Aldehydes

The odorus and physiologically active substances of the secretions of Japanese stink bugs (six kinds of Pentatomidae and three kinds of Coreidae bugs) were identified. The secretions of Pentatomidae bugs contained trans 2-decenal as a main component. In the secretions of Coreidae bugs n-hexanal was always found and in the case of Acanthocoris sordidus trans 2-hexenal was a main component.     

Comparison of Kinetic Properties Between Plant and Fungal Amine Oxidases

Abstract

Kinetic properties of novel amine oxidases isolated from a mold Aspergillus niger AKU 3302 were compared to those of typical plant amine oxidase from pea seedling (EC 1.4.3.6). Pea amine oxidase showed highest affinity with diamines, such as putrescine and cadaverine, while fungal enzymes oxidized preferably n-hexylamine and tyramine. All enzymes were inhibited by carbonyl reagents, copper chelating agents, some substrate analogs and alkaloids, but there were quite significant differences in the sensitivity and inhibition modes. Aminoguanidine, which strongly inhibited pea amine oxidases showed only little effect on fungal enzymes. Substrate analogs such as 1,5-diamino-3-pentanone and l-amino-3-phenyl-3-propanone, which were potent competitive inhibitors of pea amine oxidases, inhibited fungal enzymes much more weakly and non competitively. Also various alkaloids behaving as competitive inhibitors of pea amine oxidases inhibited the fungal enzymes non competitively. Very surprising was the potent inhibition of fungal enzymes by artificial substrates of pea amine oxidases, E- and Z-1,4-diamino-2-butene. The relationships between the different inhibition modes and possible binding at the active site are discussed.     

The Incorporation of Ciliatine (2-Aminoethylphosphonic Acid) into Lipids of the Rat Liver

Four alcohols, 1-penten-3-ol, n-amylalcohol, trans-2-hexenol and one of the linalool oxides, were newly identified as the components of carbonyl-free neutral fraction of the essential oil of black tea.

On the gas chromatogram of carbonyl fraction three unknown peaks were identified with those of n-valeraldehyde, n-heptanal and trans-2-octenal.

From these results almost all main components of carbonyl and carbonyl free fractions were clarified.

Flavor change during the manufacture of black tea was investigated by gas chromatography. During withering, hexylalcohol, nerol, trans-2-hexenoic acid, trans-2-heхenol, linalool oxide (cis, furanoid), n-valeraldehyde, capronaldehyde, n-heptanal, trans-2-hexenal, trans-2-octenal, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, n-butyric, isovaleric, n-caproic, cis-3-hexenoic and salicylic acids and o-cresol were increased, especially the former three greatly increased, while cis-2-pentenol, linalool, geraniol, benzylalcohol, phenylethanol and acetic acid diminished markedly. In the process of fermentation almost all constituents increased, especially, 1-penten-3-ol, cis-2-pentenol, benzylalcohol, trans-2-hexenal, benzaldehyde, n-caproic, cis-3-hexenoic and salicylic acids were remarkable.

On firing, most alcohols, carbonyl and phenolic compounds decreased remarkably whereas acetic, propionic and isobutyric acids greatly increased.     

Studies on the Decarboxylation of Amino Acids with Glyoxal

Decarboxylation of about twenty kinds of α, β and γ-amino acids in the reaction with glyoxal or ninhydrin was investigated. The decarboxylation rate of amino acids proved that steric and polar effects had important roles in the reaction.

From the data of pK₂ values and decarboxylation rates of amino acids, it can be concluded that under a similar steric environment, the decarboxylation rate depends on the anion concentration of amino acids.

Besides carbon dioxide, acetaldehyde, 2-propanone and propionaldehyde were respectively detected from the reaction of β-alanine, β and γ-amino-n-butyric acids with glyoxal or ninhydrin. The decarboxylation mechanism of these amino acids seemed to take place through the corresponding β- or γ-keto acid.

Oxygen absorption was also observed from the reaction of amino acids with dicarbonyl compounds.     

Studies on the Metabolism of Aspergilli

Studies were made on the effect of water level of culture medium on the mycelial compositions and enzyme production in Aspergillus sojae K. S. The mold was grown on the media of various water levels made of powder of defatted soybean and wheat granule. The mycelia grown on the medium of low water level produced more protease and α-amylase, consumed more oxygen, formed less ammonia, and were richer in 2 n H₂SO₄-soluble glycogen, 60% H₂SO₄-soluble carbohydrates, protein and RNA per mg dry weight than the mycelia grown on the medium of high water level. Chromatographic analyses were carried out for nucleotides, sugar phosphates and free carbohydrates in cold TCA-soluble fraction of the mycelia.     

A Study on Low-boiling Chemical Constituents of Cryptotaenia japonica Hassk

Low-boiling compounds escaping during steam distillation of Cryptotaenia japonica Hassk were collected and examined with chromatographies and by the preparation of their derivatives.

The following compounds were identified. Six paraffin hydrocarbons: n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, isooctane, n-nonane; seven carbonyl compounds: formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, n-butyraldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, acetone, 3-methyl-2-pentanone; three esters: n-propyl and isopropyl formates, n-propyl acetate; eight alcohols: methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, isobutanol, sec-butanol, isopentanol, n-octanol; two sulfides: dimethyl and methyl ethyl sulfides; six monoterpene hydrocarbons: α-pinene, camphene, β-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, limonene.     

Studies on the Flavors of Roast Barley (Mugi-Cha)

Five weakly acidic carbonyl compounds and two neutral carbonyl compounds were newly isolated as their 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones besides the previously reported compounds by using column and thin-layer chromatographies.

These compounds were characterized and identified by their IR, UV and MS spectra and the mixed melting points test.

The newly isolated and identified compounds were as follows; weakly acidic carbonyl compounds: 2-pyrrolealdehyde, vanillin, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, syringaldehyde, proto-catechuic aldehyde, neutral carbonyl compounds: glyoxal, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

These compounds, particularly vanillin, protocatechuic aldehyde, 2-pyrrolealdehyde and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, appeared to be concerned with the flavor of roast barley (Mugi-Cha).     

Synthesis of the Racemate and Both Enantiomers of Massoilactone

A simple and efficient synthesis of (±)-massoilactone (1) as a key substance for the butter and milk flavor was accomplished from n-hexanal in only a few steps. Application of its racemic synthesis enabled natural (R)-(?)- and unnatural (S)-(+)-massoilactone (1a, 1b) to be synthesized by starting from commercially available (R)-(+)-1,2-epoxyheptane (5).     

An inexpensive medium for production of arachidonic acid by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mortierella alpina</Emphasis>

The production of arachidonic acid was studied in the fungus Mortierella alpina using an inexpensive medium. Glucose derived from maize starch hydrolysate was the sole carbon source and defatted soybean meal and sodium nitrate were the nitrogen sources. Optimal arachidonic acid yield (1.47 g l^-1) was observed at a glucose concentration of 100 g l^-1. Various treatments of defatted soybean meal to extract soluble nitrogen nutrients were evaluated. Alkali extract was the most effective for arachidonic acid production. A mixture of soybean alkali-extract protein and sodium nitrate was an excellent nitrogen source for fungal growth, lipid accumulation, and arachidonic acid production. A maximum yield of 1.87 g arachidonic acid l^-1 was obtained with a soybean protein concentration of 4.6 g l^-1 and a sodium nitrate concentration of 2.3 g l^-1. Electronic Publication