Fermentation Process

Abstract

Provided is a fermentation process wherein green ripe uncured vanilla beans are incubated with [microbes] bacillus subtilis in isolated form to convert glucovanillin to vanillin while consistently forming a fully developed well-balanced vanilla aroma without off-notes.

1 . A process of fermenting vanilla beans the process comprising the step of:
 incubating uncured vanilla beans with  Bacillus subtilis  in isolated form, wherein the incubation with  B. subtilis  lasts for about 24 hours to about 120 hours.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the incubation with  B. subtilis  is performed at a temperature from about 40° C. to about 65° C. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the uncured vanilla beans are dried and reconstituted with water prior to the step of incubation with  B. subtilis.    
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein before incubation with  B. subtilis,  the uncured vanilla beans are washed. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein after the incubation with  B. subtilis,  one or more enzymes comprising a beta-glucosidase enzyme are added. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein after the incubation with  B. subtilis,  the vanilla beans are dried to a low moisture of about 30% to 20% at a temperature from about 20° C. to about 60° C. 
     
     
         7 . The process  claim 1  wherein a solvent is added to the resulting product to form a vanilla extract. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the incubation with  B. subtilis  is performed in a vessel selected from the group consisting of a sweating tank wherein the vanilla beans are stationary, and a stirred tank. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the incubation with  B. subtilis  is performed in a closed system of a sweating tank wherein the vanilla beans are stationary and wherein the exudate from the vanilla beans is being recycled. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the incubation with  B. subtilis  is performed in an open system. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein  B. subtilis  is selected from the group consisting of  B. subtilis  subtilis, a wildtype  B. subtilis  strain isolated from vanilla beans, and  B. subtilis  subtilis strain NRRL B-50118. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein  B. subtilis  used in the fermentation step is provided from a stock culture or as a pre-culture. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 .  B. subtilis  subtilis strain NRRL B-50118. 
     
     
         16 . A flavoring product comprising a fermented vanilla bean product produced from the process according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A flavoring product according to  claim 16 , wherein the fermented vanilla bean product is selected from the group consisting of vanilla pods, partially comminuted vanilla pods, comminuted vanilla pods, ground vanilla pod powder, vanilla extract. 
     
     
         18 . An ingestible composition comprising a fermented bean product produced from the process according to  claim 1  is provided. 
     
     
         19 . A process for producing a vanilla extract, the process comprising the steps of:
 a) optionally, washing vanilla beans prior to any subsequent process step;   b) inoculating fresh, dried or reconstituted vanilla beans with  Bacillus subtilis  in isolated form, and incubating the inoculated vanilla beans for about 24 hours to about 120 hours.   
     
     
         20 . A process according to  claim 19 , comprising the further step of:
 cutting the vanilla beans prior to or subsequent to inoculation with  Bacillus subtilis.      
     
     
         21 . A process according to  claim 19 , comprising the further step of:
 adding one or more enzymes comprising a beta-glucosidase enzyme after the incubation with  B. subtilis.      
     
     
         22 . A process according to  claim 19 , wherein the incubation of the inoculated vanilla beans is at a temperature in the range of about 40° C. to about 65° C. 
     
     
         23 . A process according to  claim 19 , comprising the further step of:
 subsequent to b) incubating the inoculated vanilla beans,
 c) drying the vanilla beans to a moisture content about 25%-30% w/w. 
   
     
     
         24 . A process according to  claim 24 , comprising the further step of:
 subsequent to c) drying the inoculated vanilla beans,
 d) extracting the vanilla beans with a solvent. 
   
     
     
         25 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the  Bacillus subtilis  is selected from the group consisting of:  B. subtilis  subtilis, a wildtype  B. subtilis  strain isolated from vanilla beans, and  B. subtilis  subtilis strain NRRL B-50118. 
     
     
         26 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the  B. subtilis  used in the fermentation step is provided from a stock culture or as a pre-culture. 
     
     
         27 . A flavoring product comprising a vanilla extract produced from the process according to  claim 19 . 
     
     
         28 . A flavoring product according to  claim 27 , wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of vanilla pods, partially comminuted vanilla pods, comminuted vanilla pods, ground vanilla pod powder, vanilla extract. 
     
     
         29 . An ingestible composition comprising a vanilla extract produced from the process according to  claim 19 . 
     
     
         30 . A method of using a flavoring product according to  claim 16  as a flavoring composition. 
     
     
         31 . A method of using a flavoring product according to  claim 27  as a flavoring composition. 
     
     
         32 . A process of fermenting vanilla beans, the process comprising the steps of:
 washing uncured vanilla beans and subsequently,   incubating uncured vanilla beans with  Bacillus subtilis  in isolated form, wherein the incubation with  B. subtilis  lasts for about 24 hours to about 120 hours.   
     
     
         33 . The process according to  claim 32  wherein the uncured vanilla beans are washed in water wherein the water is at a temperature in the range of about 20° C. to about 85° C. 
     
     
         34 . A process according to  claim 32 , wherein the water is is at a temperature in the range of about 60° C. to about 85° C. 
     
     
         35 . A process according to  claim 32 , wherein the uncured vanilla beans are washed in an aqueous composition comprising alcohol.