Relation between Growth of Aspergillus niger and Capsaicin

Decomposition of Capsaicin by Fungi (Part 1)

Abstract

The commercial red pepper is often infected with mold, and its pungent taste is decreased during storage. Several different causes were conceivable; the action of ultraviolet rays, simple chemical changes and action of enzyme present in red pepper. To explain the decrease of the pungent taste, the relation between infecting mold and pungent substances of red pepper, capsaicin, was studied. The growth of Aspergillus niger was inhibited along with increased capsaicin concentration. But at the low concentration of capsaicin as low as 0.3mg%-0.5mg%, the growth of Asp. niger was rather stimulated and the pungent taste in the medium was disappeared during the growth. When capsaicin was added at the low concentration of 10mg% in the medium, the residual capsaicin in the culture medium of Asp. niger was reduced as half as much after 3 days culture, and almost completely disappeared after 2 weeks.