Rhizopus stolonifer is Inactivated by Germicidal UV Light

What is Rhizopus stolonifer?

Initially known as Rhizopus nigricans when it was discovered in 1818, Rhizopus stolonifer is a permanent inhabitantopen_in_new of the human environment. It is known to commonly infect ripe fruits, vegetables, wheat, barley, breads, flowers, and bulbs. Infestations may occur with crops in the field or baking products in the production phase, if adequate airflow and cleanliness are not practiced. However, infection occurs most frequently after harvest or production, during the storage phaseopen_in_new, if proper sealing and cooling methods are not followed.

It’s not all bad news, though! This mold is an essential player in the carbon cycleopen_in_new. It is also used to produce fumaric acid, lactic acid, and cortisone — elements which have helpful properties for use in the industrial processingopen_in_new of foods and medicines.

Where is it Found?

Bunches of grapes — Contaminated
Fruit & Veg

Sliced bread with Rhizopus stolonifer mold on it — Contaminated Bread

What Does it Infect?

Woman with nose and throat showing through skin — Sinuses

Closeup of ear with ear canal diagram — Ear Canal

Man with lungs and upper respiratory tract showing — Lungs

How Can You Get it?

Breathing in another's respiratory droplets — Inhaling Spores

Woman eating a large piece of bread — Ingesting Food

How it Spreads on Food

Rhizopus stolonifer starts as a moist area on food and develops into the hairy gray substance shown here, with black-tipped sporangia (the uppermost plant structure where the spores are produced) — hence its nickname, black bread mold. It grows and colonizes rapidly, typically in moist, indoor environments on organic matter rich in sugar and starch.

Preventing the Spread of Rhizopus stolonifer

The spread of Rhizopus stolonifer can be minimized by incorporating the following in farming and food production:

Maintaining adequate air ventilation / filtration to dispel airborne spores
Proper humidity control
Discarding of fruits and vegetables beyond their shelf life
Disinfection of objects and surfaces that are or could become contaminated
Airtight packaging on bakery products, as they sometimes sit on the shelf for up to a week before purchase

Get More Protection with UV Disinfection

In addition to the above preventative measures, germicidal ultraviolet (UV-C) air and surface disinfection can inactivate Rhizopus stolonifer in the baking industry, food processing, greenhouses, and cannabis drying rooms. Shop our products at AtlanticUltraviolet.comopen_in_new.

Learn about these applications:

Cannabis

Baking

View all UV-C Application Pages.

Our germicidal lamps produce ultraviolet wavelengths at 254 nanometers, the region of maximum germicidal effectiveness. Read our FAQ blog post to learn more. See dosage data below.

UV Applications for air and surface disinfection of Rhizopus stolonifer

Rhizopus stolonifer: Classification & UV-C Dose for Inactivation

Organism:	Alternate Name:	Type:	Disease:	*UV Dose:**
Rhizopus stolonifer	Black bread mold, Rhizopus nigricans	Mold	Zygomycosis	191 mJ/cm²

* Nominal Ultraviolet dosage necessary to inactivate better than 99% of microorganisms. See sources below.

People at High Risk of Infection

You’re more likely to contract an infection from Rhizopus stolonifer if you:

Are immune compromised
Are exposed to, or ingest decaying food
Live in a humid climate like India, where allergy-related hospitalizationopen_in_new is frequent
Smell food you think may be spoiled

Rhizopus stolonifer Symptoms

This pathogenic fungus is the cause of numerous allergic disorders. The most common symptoms associated with this mold are as follows:

Fever
Cough
Sneezing
Congestion

Shortness of breath
Weight loss
Hemoptysis (coughing up blood)

Possible Complications from Rhizopus stolonifer

Some Rhizopus stolonifer infections can cause:

Respiratory infections
Sinusitis (Inflamed sinuses)
Otomycosis (a fungal infection in the ear canal)
Zygomycosisopen_in_new (a rare, life-threatening fungal infection in the blood vessels, lungs, and the brain). It affects immunocompromised people and those suffering from diabetes, diarrhea, or malnutrition. If infected, one’s chance of complete healing is roughly 50%open_in_new.

Sources on Rhizopus stolonifer

The above information can be found on the following pages.

Dosage Source

Effects of ethanol and ultraviolet-c treatments on inactivation of Rhizopus oryzae spores which cause postharvest rot. Gülsüm Ebru. Food Science and Technology, July–Sept. 2019.

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Since 1963, we’ve been engineering and manufacturing germicidal ultraviolet equipment to neutralize harmful microorganisms in water, in air, and on surfaces. Visit these helpful pages:

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