The cutting or maceration of plant leaves cause oxidation catalysed by enzymes to produce aroma chemicals.
Our cis3 hexenol is produced from macerated tea leaves using the inherent enzyme type lipoxygenase.
Linolenic acid and cis-3-hexenal were found in macerated leaves of Thea sinensis and this aldehyde may be produced from linolenic acid by an enzyme contained in macerated leaves in the presence of oxygen. This aldehyde was easily isomerized to trans-2-hexenal, and was converted to cis-3-hexenol by alcohol dehydrogenase. During maceration of freshly picked tea leaves, the amounts of trans-2-hexenal quickly increased and were influenced by maceration time, heating, oxygen and the pHpart is rather technical
Plant lipoxygenases
Plants express a variety of cytosolic lipoxygenases as well as what seems to be a chloroplast isozyme. Plant lipoxygenase in conjunction with hydroperoxide lyases are responsible for many fragrances and other signalling compounds. One example is cis-3-hexenal, the odor of freshly cut grass.An illustrative transformation involving a hydroperoxide lyase. Here cis-3-hexenal is generated from linolenic acid to the hydroperoxide by the action of a lipoxygenase followed by the lyase.
The next stage would be to engineer an enzyme to act upon the relatively cheap linoleic acid which is abundant in Soya Bean Oil