Species Diversity of Molds in Thai Traditional Fermentation Starters (Loog-Pang)

Abstract

The results of investigation on the number of molds and mold species presented in loog-pang, a dry form of fermentation starter for production of traditional fermented products, collected in Thailand revealed that in 38 samples of loog-pang kao-mag (for alcoholic sweetened rice production) the number of mold were 2.0 x 10³ - 1.6 x 10⁶ cfu/g and 91 mold isolates were collected. The mold numbers in 19 samples of loog-pang lao (for rice wine production) were 7.0 x 10³ - 1.8 x 10⁶ cfu/g and 35 mold isolates derived. Identification of 91 mold isolates from loog-pang kao-mag showed that most isolates belonged to the genus Amylomyces (31) and Rhizopus (27). The remaining isolates were in the genus Actinomucor (5) Aspergillus (9), Mucor (2), Monascus (2) and Penicillium (1) while 13 isolates were Aspergillus niger group and 1 was unidentified isolate. Most of 35 isolates obtained from loog-pang lao were also in the genus Rhizopus (15) and Amylomyces (12). Other isolates were in the genus Actinomucor (5) and Mucor (1) while 2 were Aspergillus niger group. As many as 31 samples (81.6%) of loog-pang kao-mag contained Amylomyces sp. while Rhizopus sp. found only in 5 samples (13.2%). Among 19 samples of loog-pang lao Rhizopus sp. was found in 15 samples (79%) while Amylomyces sp. was in 11 samples (57.9%). Most isolates of the genus Amylomyces and Rhizopus showed relatively strong amylolytic activity.