Can we make our own penicillium cultures?

[Chuckwagon]

A non-member has contacted me by email with a great question that I'd like to share with you folks. I'm sure many have wondered at times, if they could make their own penicillium nalgiovense mold for salami. Here is the question and my answer. Anyone else care to add to the subject, please do.

Q. Hi, As the white mold on salami / meats etc. is penicillin, is it possible to make this using prescribed penicillin from the doctor or is this totally different. If it is possible how would one do it?
Cheers,
Steve - Charcuterie newbie

Hi Steve,

You are confusing penicillin with penicillium. Penicillium is a genus of ascomyetous fungi. Members of this genus produce penicillin - a molecule that is used as an antibiotic that stops the growth of certain kinds of bacteria inside the body. The penicillium genus contains over 300 species according to a 2008 medical publication. Of these 300 species, only penicillium nalgiovense or penicillium chrysogenum are recommended (having the ideal properties) for home sausage production in a dry-cured meat product, although I`ve known a few people in Europe to use the cheesemaker`s favorites - penicillium roqueforti and penicillium camemberti, on meat. With penicillium nalgiovense and penicillium chrysogenum at our disposal and readily found on the market (Bactoferm™ is found in most sausage supplier`s catalogs) relatively cheaply, I do not understand why someone would want to cut corners financially by growing their own cultures by using the penicillium roqueforti and camemberti cultures (developed especially for cheese) from leftover rinds of cheese products.

Biologists use "spp." as a short way of saying that something applies to many species within a genus, but do not wish to say that it applies to all species within that genus. Note that spp. = species (plural) and sp.= specie (singular). If scientists mean that something applies to all species within a genus, they use the genus name without the specific epithet.

The best-known taxonomic ranks are, in order:

1. life
3. domain
3. kingdom
4. phylum
5. class
6. order
7. family
8. genus............. In this case (ascomyetous fungi) having 300 "species" of the next rank.
9. species

To be more specific, I would not recommend trying making your own culture of the genus as there are hundreds of species, many of which are toxic. Some, even white in color, are yet "wild" and are poisonous. Why take the chance when you can order p. nalgiovense made in sterile and controlled laboratory conditions by professionals?

Thank for writing in with your question. Hope this has helped.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon