Abstract:

Limonene is one of the most widely distributed terpenes in nature, and is widely used as a flavor and fragrance
additive in food products. The biotransformation of limonene to more valuable oxygenated derivatives has emerged as an
attractive alternative. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions without generating toxic wastes, and the products obtained
with better regio-and enantioselectivity can be labeled as “natural”. Biotransformation products of limonene are described in
this paper. Meanwhile, the major biotransformation pathways and some enzymes involved are elucidated. Furthermore, this
paper provides a systematic review of the factors affecting the biotransformation of limonene.

Key words: limonene, biotransformation, metabolic pathway, enzyme