Microbial biotransformation for production of valuable aroma compounds: Current research and future challenges

Aroma and flavor represent the key components of food as they improve the organoleptic characteristics and enhance the acceptability of the consumers. Since ancient times, the concept of commercial production of aromatic and flavoring chemicals has lagged behind human habits, although coming from the industry’s microbiological source. Microbial flavor compounds have garnered attention in recent decades due to their sustainable nature, especially because of their great biological activity and minimal toxicity. Fragrance chemicals are frequently found in medicinal products. The amount of scientific materials containing analytical and biological data on fragrance components is currently more than ever, despite debates regarding their use among academics in the fields of traditional and modern medicine. In addition, the food business, together with the highly significant perfume and cosmetic industries, supports the flavoring and preservation of food items through aromatic volatiles as well as the search for naturally occurring, pleasant-smelling raw components for these products. In addition, it serves as a de-foaming agent for ophthalmic solutions containing high surfactant concentrations. Fruits with mild processing are given a longer shelf life and increased safety by the use of natural fragrance components. The food industry’s expanding demand for natural products has spurred incredible efforts to create biotechnological procedures for the synthesis of fragrance components. The present review assimilates the existing knowledge of microbial transformation to value-added products for their application in food, fragrances, agricultural, and pharmaceutical industries.