Mold

General Characteristics
 Multicellular
 Thread-like or filamentous
 Fuzzy growth in foods
Morphological Characteristics
A. Hyphae (sing. hypha) – filaments
1. Classification based on growth
a. Submerged – within the food
b. Aerial – above the food
2. Classification based on function
a. Vegetative – concerned with obtaining nutrients
b. Reproductive – for reproduction
3. Forms of hyphae
a. Septated – with cross-walls
b. Coenocytic – without cross-walls
Morphological Characteristics
4. Hyphae growth
a. Apical – tips
b. Intercalary – division of cells within the hyphae
B. Mycelium – mass of hyphae
C. Sclerotia – modified hyphae
D. Reproductive parts
1. Asexual spores
a. Conidiospore – not enclosed in a sac; produced in a chain
at the end of a conidiophore (e.g. Aspergillus, Penicillium)
• Arthrospore – formed by the fragmentation of a septate hypha
into single slightly thickened cells
 Morphological Characteristics
 Reproductive parts
 Asexual spores
 Conidiospore – not enclosed in a sac;
produced in a chain at the end of a
conidiophore (e.g. Aspergillus,
Penicillium)
 Arthrospore – formed by the
Conidiospore fragmentation of a septate
hypha into single slightly
thickened cells
Arthrospore
Morphological Characteristics
• Blastospore - consists of a bud coming off the parent
cell
b. Chlamydospore - a thick-walled spore formed
by rounding & enlargement within a hyphal
segment (e.g. Candida albicans)
c. Sporangiospore – formed within a sporangium,
or sac, at the end of an aerial hypha
(sporangiophore) (e.g. Rhizopus)

Sporangiospore
Morphological Characteristics
 Sexual spores
 Zygospore – formed by fusion of haploid
cells
 Ascospore – Results from the fusion of
the nuclei of 2 cells that can be either
morphologically similar or dissimilar;
formed in a sac (ascus)
 Basidiospore – formed externally on a
pedestal (basidium)
 Asexual Spores

Conidiospore
Arthrospore Chlamydospore

Sporangiospore

Blastospore
 Sexual Spores

Zygospore Basidiospore

Ascospore
Cultural Characteristics
 Loose fluffy
 Velvety, dry, powdery, wet, gelatinous
 Red, purple, yellow, brown, gray, black,
white
Physiological Requirements
 Moisture: 14-15%
 Optimum temperature: 25-30°C
 pH: 2.0 – 8.5
 Aerobic
Molds of Industrial Importance
 Aspergillus – used in soy sauce
 Penicillium – spoilage in citrus fruits &
useful in cheese
 Rhizopus – spoilage mold in breads
 Mucor – spoilage mold; help ripen cheese;
used in Oriental foods
 Fusarium – causes wilt in sweet potato
Mold growing in petri dishes (photo courtesy of Chin Yang, Ph.D.)
Mold on bread. (Note growth has started
on the exterior and is gradually expanding
and growing into the interior of the bread.)
Decomposing leaves
References
Jay JM. (2000). Modern Food Microbiology.
Maryland: Aspen Publishers Inc.
Roday S. (1999). Food Hygiene and Sanitation.
Patel Nagar, New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill
Publishing Company Limited.
Tortora GJ, BR Funke & CL Case. (1995).
Microbiology: An Introduction. Bridge
Parkway, CA: The Benjamin Cummings
Publishing Company, Inc.
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