Mucorales in Chinese traditional fermented soybean food
Na Li 1,2, Grit Walther3, Qun Fang1, Shaoqin Zhou1,2, Ronghan Liu1, Yingqian Kang 1,4#, Sybren de Hoog1,2#
1Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Infectious Disease Prevention & Control/Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education of Guizhou / School of Basic Medical Science & Institution of One Health Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; 2RadboudUMC-CWZ Center for Expertise in Mycology, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; 3German National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany; 4Guizhou Provincial Academician Workstation of Microbiology and Health, Guizhou Academy of Tobacco Science, Guiyang, China
Abstract
Mucorales are microbial weeds with dual impact on human health. They have significant roles in the preparation of traditional fermented soybean foods, but, under certain conditions, may cause human infections. Despite their ecological and clinical importance, the diversity and prevalence of mucoralean species in traditional fermented soybean foods remain largely unexplored. This study aims to investigate the presence and diversity of species involved in the spontaneous fermentation of soybean-based foods, with a particular focus on rural areas in China. Between November 2022 and February 2023, 56 fermented soybean-based food samples, including furu, douchi, and dajiang, were collected. Mucoralean fungi were isolated using the dilution plate method and identified to the species level through DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosomal DNA and the D1/D2 nuclear ribosomal large subunit. Mucorales were detected in all food samples, with a total of 13 species identified. Mucor circinelloides (31.46 %) and M. racemosus (29.78 %) emerged as the most frequently isolated species, followed by Rhizopus stolonifer (11.80 %), Actinomucor elegans (4.49 %), Mucor lusitanicus (5.06 %), M. pseudolusitanicus (6.74 %), M. phayaoensis (2.81 %), and M. plumbeus (2.25 %). Lichtheimia corymbifera (1.69 %), M. saturninus (1.12 %), M. irregularis (1.12 %), M. aff. tofus (1.12 %) and M. rongii (0.56 %)were detected at low frequencies. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the diversity, ecological roles, and potential health implications of Mucorales in the context of traditional fermented foods.
Open Access
Cite this article:
Li N, Walther G, Fang Q, Zhou S, Liu R, Kang Y, de Hoog S, 2025. Mucorales in Chinese traditional fermented soybean food. One Health Mycology 2(1), 77-93
ISSN: 3050-4627
doi.org/10.63049/OHM.25.21.6
Keywords:
Mucorales, traditional fermented food; soybean condiments; mucormycosis; food safety; opportunistic pathogens
Article highlights:
- Chinese traditional fermented soybean foods contain a wide diversity of mucoralean fungi.
- Prevalence of species including opportunistic pathogens differ between food-types.
- Species carrying toxin-producing intracellular bacteria are uncommon in Chinese traditional fermented food.
#Correspondence:
kangyingqian@gmc.edu.cn, Sybren.dehoog@radboudumc.nl
Article info:
Received 12 January 2025
Revised 18 June 2025
Accepted 22 June 2025
Appeared online 7 July 2025
One Health Mycology 2(1): 77−93, 2025
doi.org/10.63049/OHM.25.21.6