Toxicity of medium chain fatty acids to Penicillium crustosum Thom and their detoxification to methyl ketones

Abstract

Conversion of medium chain length fatty acids into methyl ketones by some filamentous fungi is important in the development of flavour in the blue mould‐ripened cheeses and in the promotion of ketonic rancidity in the lauric acid oils. The effect of fatty acid composition of single acid glycerides, pH, temperature and medium chain length fatty acids on conversion of fatty acids into methyl ketones has been studied with two strains of Penicillium crustosum Thom. Medium chain length fatty acids were fungitoxic. The minimum inhibitory concentration was 3776, 2884, 1723 and 3066 mg/l for the C6:0, 8:0, 10:0 and 12:0 acids, respectively, at pH 7·0 in liquid suspension culture. Evidence is provided to suggest that the cellular site for this conversion is the microbody. Growth of P. crustosum on single acid glycerides involves two distinct physiological processes; the first, a general inhibition of growth, and the second, a detoxification. The fatty acid composition and the slip point of the substrate are of paramount importance in these two processes.