Penicillium crustosum explained

Penicillium crustosum is a blue-green or blue-grey mold that can cause food spoilage, particularly of protein-rich foods such as meats and cheeses. It is identified by its complex biseriate conidiophores on which phialides produce asexual spores. It can grow at fairly low temperatures (it is a psychrophile), and in low water activity environments.^[1]

Penicillium crustosum produces mycotoxins, most notoriously the neurotoxic penitrems, including the best known penitrem toxin, penitrem A,^[2] and including penitrems A through G. Penitrem G has been shown to have insecticidal activity.^[3] In addition, P. crustosum can produce thomitrems A and E, and roquefortine C.^[4] Consumption of foods spoiled by this mold can cause transient neurological symptoms such as tremors.^[5] In dogs, symptoms can include vomiting, convulsion, tremors, ataxia, and tachycardia.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Book: C.J. . Alexopolous . Charles W. . Mims . M. . Blackwell . Introductory Mycology . Wiley . 1996 . 0-471-52229-5 . 4th .
2. Kalinina SA, Jagels A, Cramer B, Geisen R, Humpf HU . Influence of Environmental Factors on the Production of Penitrems A-F by Penicillium crustosum . Toxins (Basel) . 9 . 7 . 210 . 2017 . 28671569 . 5535157 . 10.3390/toxins9070210 . free .
3. González MC, Lull C, Moya P, Ayala I, Primo J, Primo Yúfera E . Insecticidal activity of penitrems, including penitrem G, a new member of the family isolated from Penicillium crustosum . J. Agric. Food Chem. . 51 . 8 . 2156–60 . 2003 . 12670149 . 10.1021/jf020983e .
4. Rundberget T, Skaar I, O'Brien O, Flåøyen A . Penitrem and thomitrem formation by Penicillium crustosum . Mycopathologia . 157 . 3 . 349–57 . 2004 . 15180164 . 10.1023/b:myco.0000024180.99262.b1. 23351164 .
5. Moldes-Anaya A, Rundberget T, Fæste CK, Eriksen GS, Bernhoft A . Neurotoxicity of Penicillium crustosum secondary metabolites: tremorgenic activity of orally administered penitrem A and thomitrem A and E in mice . Toxicon . 60 . 8 . 1428–35 . 2012 . 23085423 . 10.1016/j.toxicon.2012.10.007 .
6. Eriksen GS, Jäderlund KH, Moldes-Anaya A, Schönheit J, Bernhoft A, Jaeger G, Rundberget T, Skaar I . Poisoning of dogs with tremorgenic Penicillium toxins . Med. Mycol. . 48 . 1 . 188–96 . 2010 . 19886763 . 10.3109/13693780903225821 . free .