On Asper gillus flavus LINK as Koji Mold

Abstract

According to THOM and RAPER (1945), the species name, Asp. flavus may be arbitrarily applied to those members of the Asp. flavus-oryzae group whose sterigmata 'are mostly in two series but single series common and often in the same head. The authors have found 6 strains of such species out of 49 strains related to the Asp. flavus-oryzae series, isolated from spontaneously fermented Hattchomiso-Koji, or a sort of soy bean Koji for making soy bean paste. The morphological characteristics of the strains are described in details (Table 1). It fias been shown that among wild or spontaneously grown Koji-molds, there may be found Asp. flavus LINK, as defined by THOM and RAPER, although such strains have been scarcely recognized by SAKAGUCHI and YAMADA (1944) in about two hundred yellow green Aspergilli which were isolated from Tane Koji or cultured starter for Koji making.