Penicillium commune

Penicillium commune
P. commune isolate from cheese in agar
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Eurotiomycetes
Order: Eurotiales
Family: Aspergillaceae
Genus: Penicillium
Species:
P. commune
Binomial name
Penicillium commune
Synonyms
  • Penicillium flavoglaucum Biourge (1923)
  • Penicillium fuscoglaucum Biourge (1923)
  • Penicillium lanosogriseum Thom (1930)
  • Penicillium lanosoviride Thom (1930)
  • Penicillium psittacinum Thom (1930)
  • Penicillium ochraceum var. macrosporum Thom (1930)
  • Penicillium cyclopium var. album G. Sm (1951)
  • Penicillium roqueforti var. punctatum S. Abe (1956)

Penicillium commune is an indoor fungus belonging to the genus Penicillium. It is known as one of the most common fungi spoilage moulds on cheese. It also grows on and spoils other foods such as meat products and fat-containing products like nuts and margarine. Cyclopiazonic acid and regulovasine A and B are the most important mycotoxins produced by P. commune. The fungus is the only known species to be able to produce both penitrem A and roquefortine. Although this species does not produce penicillin, it has shown to have anti-pathogenic activity. There are no known plant, animal or human diseases caused by P. commune.