Rhizopus and Related Species from Peka in Taiwan

Abstract

Peka (local name) is traditionally used as the commercial wine starter and as fermented food, tien-chiu-niang (local language), with alcoholic sweet taste and a fruit flavor in Taiwan. Fourteen samples from traditional markets and wine manufacturers were collected and isolated seventeen predominant filamentous fungi from peka. They were identified based on the morphological characteristics and these strains were as, namely, Amylomyces rouxii, Rhizopus microsporus var. chinensis, Rhizopus microsporus var. rhizopodiformis, Rhizopus oryzae and Mucor indicus. Among them, R. microsporus var. chinensis, R. microsporus var. rhizopodiformis and M. indicus are new to the fungal flora of peka in Taiwan.