Tokyo Food Safety Information Center » Good things to know » Molds and mycotoxins » Alternaria
Alternaria
Also called as soot mold, this bacterium causes pears, citrus fruits, and apples, etc., to putrefy, and gathers on watery foods such as boiled udon noodle. It forms somewhat fluffy colonies of gray to black colors. It is distributed within soil, air, dust, plants, cereals, etc., and is nortorious as a plant pathogenic microbe and an allergen.
Representative strains: Alternaria alternata (A.alternata) |
Alternaria alternata gathering on melon |
Photomicrograph of Alternaria alternata |