Rapid and direct monitoring of volatile fermentation products in the fungus Bjerkandera adusta by membrane inlet tandem mass spectrometry

Membrane inlet tandem mass spectrometry has been used for the identification of volatiles directly from growth media of the fungus Bjerkandera adusta. Chloromethoxybenzaldehyde, a major fermentation product not previously described, was identified, as well as the known products p‐methoxybenzaldehyde and benzaldehyde. The production of benzaldehyde was commenced shortly after incubation; p‐methoxybenzaldehyde and chloromethoxybenzaldehyde were produced after a few days. No qualitative differences were found between samples grown with different amino acids added to the growth media, but tyrosine supplementation enhanced production of p‐methoxybenzaldehyde.