Isolation of microbes from nutmeg seeds as flavor biotransformation agents

Abstract

Abstract Nutmeg is Indonesia’s oldest spice, produced since ancient times. The microbes present in nutmeg may be involved in the synthesis of flavor compounds. The research aims were to isolate microbes from nutmeg seeds and use them as bio-transformation agents for flavor compounds from n-butanol. The research stages consisted of isolating bacteria and yeast from nutmeg seeds, gram staining of bacteria, using isolates in n-butanol transformation, and profiling the flavor compounds produced. The isolation process obtained 12 bacterial and 6 yeast isolates. Most bacteria have a coccus shape and are gram-positive. n-Butanol was transformed by the nutmeg isolates into isoamyl n-butyrate, n-butyl acetate, butyl propionate, butyl butyrate, and butyl isovalerate. Bacteria isolates produced more butyl butyrate than yeast. Isolate MBI01 produces the largest butyl butyrate area compared to the others, amounting to 47,708,509 and it has great potential as a biotransformation agent. Most of the isolates were able to convert glucose perfectly.