Dispersion of β-carotene in processes of production of β-ionone by cooxidation using enzyme-generated reactive oxygen species

The aroma compound β-ionone can be produced in a biotechnological way yielding the “natural” label by using enzyme-generated reactive oxygen species. To improve the process, different ways of presenting the hydrophobic substrate β-carotene to these species were investigated using micelles dispersed in water or solvent. β-Carotene had to be present in the aqueous phase to be cleaved and the degradation was more rapid for surfactants exhibiting hydrophile/lipophile balance values around 12–15 (about 80–90% degradation after 3 h) than for values inferior to 8 (less than 40% degradation). The presence of an organic phase was useful to increase the stability of lipoxygenase.