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Abstract
The genus Penicillium is well known for its importance in drug and food production. Certain species are produced on an industrial scale for the production of antibiotics (e.g. penicillin) or for insertion in food (e.g. cheese). In the present work, three Penicillium species, part of the natural mycobiota growing on various food products were selected – P. ochrochloron, P. funiculosum and P. verrucosum var. cyclopium. The objective of our study was to value these species from the point of view of production of bioactive metabolites. The species were obtained after inoculation and growth in Czapek and Malt media. Both mycelia and culture media were analyzed to monitor the production of different metabolites by each fungus and their release to the culture medium. The concentrations of sugars, organic acids, phenolic acids and tocopherols were determined. Antioxidant activity of the phenolic extracts was evaluated, as also the antimicrobial activity of phenolic acids, organic acids and tocopherols extracts. Rhamnose, xylose, fructose and trehalose were found in all the mycelia and culture media; the prevailing organic acids were oxalic and fumaric acids, and protocatechuic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids were the most common phenolic acids; γ-tocopherol was the most abundant vitamin E isoform. Generally, the phenolic extracts corresponding to the mycelia samples revealed higher antioxidant activity. Concerning the antimicrobial activity there were some fluctuations, however all the studied species revealed activity against the tested strains. Therefore, the in-vitro bioprocesses can be an alternative for the production of bioactive metabolites that can be used by pharmaceutical industry.
Highlights
Molds species, especially from the genus Penicillium and similar genera (e.g. Aspergillus) are recognized nowadays as producers of several bioactive compounds and different chemicals currently used as pharmaceuticals.[1]
Thousands of Penicillium isolates have probably been screened in bioprospecting programs since the discovery of penicillin, and new bioactive metabolites continue to be discovered from these fungi at the moment,[2,3] indicating their current importance as a source of novel bioactive molecules to be used by the pharmaceutical industry
The assessed molecules were sugars, organic acids, phenolic acids and tocopherols
Summary
Especially from the genus Penicillium and similar genera (e.g. Aspergillus) are recognized nowadays as producers of several bioactive compounds and different chemicals currently used as pharmaceuticals.[1]. Thousands of Penicillium isolates have probably been screened in bioprospecting programs since the discovery of penicillin, and new bioactive metabolites continue to be discovered from these fungi at the moment,[2,3] indicating their current importance as a source of novel bioactive molecules to be used by the pharmaceutical industry. Despite this fact, there are few studies containing a detailed chemical analysis of food contaminants, and their biotechnological potential. We could infer that the produced compounds conferred bioactive properties to the fungi
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