Penicillium
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Penicillium, commonly known as "bread mold", is a genus of fungus that includes:
- Penicillium bilaiae, which is an agricultural inoculant.
- Penicillium camemberti, which is used in the production of Camembert and Brie cheeses.
- Penicillium candida, which is used in making Brie and Camembert cheese, also see Candida.
- Penicillium glaucum, which is used in making Gorgonzola cheese.
- Penicillium marneffei, a thermally dimorphic species endemic in Southeast Asia, which presents a threat of systemic infection to AIDS patients.
- Penicillium notatum, which produces the penicillin antibiotic.
- Penicillium purpurogenum
- Penicillium roqueforti, which is used in making Roquefort, Danish Blue cheese and also recently Gorgonzola.
Growing penicillium molds
Step 1: Take a piece of bread and gently wipe it against the kitchen floor or against a windowsill. Microbes will stick to the bread even though they are invisible to the naked eye.
Step 2: Sprinkle some water on the bread; an eyedropper or laundry sprinkler will work well. Microbes require moisture for growth.
Step 3: Place the bread in a jar of some sort and cover the jar with a lid. Plastic wrap, aluminum foil or anything similar can act as a substitute for a lid if it is missing. There is no need to puncture “air-holes” in the lid as the microbes will have enough oxygen for growth. Place the jar in a cupboard, or somewhere dark and warm.
Step 4: After a few days you can look at the bread. If you see bluish-green mold growing, it is probably Penicillium. If you do not see any mold colonies put the jar back and wait a few more days – some bread contains chemicals such as calcium propionate to slow the growth of mold.
Step 5: Pass a sharp knife through the bluish-green mold on the bread, and, using the same knife, make several deep cuts in the skin of an orange.
Step 6: Wash and dry the jar previously containing the moldy bread with plain water. Place a wet piece of cotton or tissue paper in the newly-cleaned jar along with the orange. Cover the jar and store in a dark, warm place.
Step 7: Examine the orange each day for any mold which may grow along the cuts. After a week or so you may notice tiny drops of liquid forming along the cuts. The liquid will be yellow or gold in color. Penicillin is manufactured from these chemicals.
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