226 AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL BACTERIOLOGY 



well developed the cakes are dried and kept for future use. 

 In the manufacture of the rice whisky, rice is boiled until 

 soft, cooled, and inoculated with these moldy rice cakes. 

 The spores are thoroughly stirred into the mixture. They 

 soon germinate and the mycelium produced develops abun-i 

 dance of amylase. The starch is rapidly converted by this 

 means into sugar and the alcoholic fermentation resulting 

 from yeast introduction may go forward. 



Microorganisms capable of digesting or decomposing 



Fig. 54. — Aspergillus oryzae. 



starch and inulin without the formation of sugars are com- 

 paratively common. Many of the bacteria of the alimentary 

 tract and of the soil can bring about these changes. Some 

 of the products formed are the higher alcohols, such as amyl 

 alcohol, and the various simpler acids of the fatty acid 

 series, such as acetic, butyric and valerianic. The ability 

 or lack of ability of various organisms to attack starch or 

 inulin is of great importance in the differentiation of 

 species in the bacteriological laboratory. 



Fermentation of Fatty Acids and Glycerin 

 Fats are present in practically all plant and animal cells, 

 sometimes occurring in considerable quantities. Fats and 

 oils constitute a large proportion of the food of man and 



