Creating Novel Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Flavors and Aromas with Light-emitting Diodes

The flavors and aromas of fresh herbs are derived from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The peculiar aromas of sweet basil are the base for its high consumer appreciation as a food product. Basil aromas are built from dozens of volatile organic compounds. These molecules also possess antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Creating tools to alter aroma-related compounds can allow creating novel basil flavors with a possible simultaneous increase in health beneficial effects. Plant growth and development, and pigments and metabolites accumulation, including aroma-related compounds, are highly influenced by environmental cues, with light being one of the most important. Use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) has shown that different portions of the spectrum affect distinct aspects of plant growth. GC-MS analyses revealed that exposing basil to selective narrow bandwidth light sources, ranging from blue to far-red wavelengths, alter aromatic qualities in leaves. Specific light qualities may be used in combination to create desired aromas. This approach has shown to be successful on adult white light-grown basil plants transferred for 5 days to LED chambers, suggesting it can be easily introduced in production chains at pre-harvest stages.