56 MORPHOLOGY AND CULTURE OF MICROORGANISMS 



widely distributed in soil. Although it has been reported as pathogenic 

 the identification of this species in pathogenic lesions is not confirmed. 



Aspergillus oryzce and A. flavus form a closely intergrading series, 

 certain members of which are used in the fermentation industries of 

 Japan and China. A. oryzce as described by Wehmer is used in the 

 fermentation of rice to produce Sake, an alcoholic drink. The diastatic 

 enzyme of A. oryza grown upon rice converts the starch into sugars 

 which are fermented by yeasts into alcohol. Other members of the 

 series more closely approximating A. flavus are widely used in the 

 fermentation of soy-beans. A mixture of cooked soy-beans and 

 cracked roasted wheat is inoculated with A. flavus in special koji 

 fermenting chambers. In three days the entire mass becomes fully 

 overgrown with mycelium and covered with the ripe conidia of this 

 form. The wheat and beans are partially penetrated by the mold 

 hyphae. The mass is then transferred to brine strong enough to inhibit 

 further growth except of a few yeasts. In a long period, several 

 months to three years, the whole mass becomes digested to form 

 soy-sauce, or shoyu. This product is the basis of meat sauces such as 

 Worcestershire. 



Aspergillus wentii, Wehmer, characterized by its long conidiophores 

 and coffee-colored heads of conidia, is found in the Soja preparation in 

 Java. 



Of other forms constantly met, Aspergillus candidus has white or 

 pale cream fruiting surfaces. A. terreus is avellaneous in color; Asper- 

 gillus ochraceus, ocher or tan. 



Much confusion is still found in the literature of this genus, so that 

 frequent references to the activities of particular species are difficult or 

 impossible to verify. 



MONASCUS.- -The organism of red ensilage is widely distributed in the 

 silos of America. Ensilage infected with Monascus forms into red balls 

 or masses up to a foot in diameter held together by mycelium. The 

 masses are red from coloring material partly in the mycelium and spore- 

 masses and partly in the silage. The same or a nearly related form 

 described as Monascus purpureus, Went, is used in producing red rice, 

 A ng-quac, in China. The mycelium penetrates the^ice grains, produces 

 a friable texture and gives the whole mass a purple red color. Ang- 

 quac (or Ang-khak) is used to color Chinese sauces and reaches America 

 especially upon Chinese soy-bean cheeses. 



