Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 11, 2026

Thamnidium

Thamnidium is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Mucoraceae.

Last revised
Jun 11, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
190 w
Citations
5
Source
Thamnidium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Mucoromycota
Class: Mucoromycetes
Order: Mucorales
Family: Mucoraceae
Genus: Thamnidium
Link (1809)
Species

Thamnidium anomalum
Thamnidium ctenidium
Thamnidium elegans

Thamnidium is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Mucoraceae.1

The genus was circumscribed in 1809 by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link.1

Thamnidium molds are key participants in the aging process for dry aged beef, producing protease and collagenase enzymes that naturally tenderize the meat.2 Thamnidium forms pale grey patches of mold called 'whiskers' on fatty areas of a carcass or cut during the aging process.3

The genus has also been implicated in the spoiling of meat in cold storage, alongside other fungal genera such as Acremonium, Mucor and Rhizopus.4

References

References

  1. "Thamnidium". www.mycobank.org. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  2. "Dry Aged Steak: Why Dry Age Meat?". The Aging Room.
  3. Ramanathan, R.; Mafi, G.G.; Yoder, L.; Perry, M.; Pfeiffer, M.; Vanoverbeke, D.L.; Maheswarappa, Naveena Basappa (2020). "Biochemical changes of postmortem meat during the aging process and strategies to improve the meat quality". Meat Quality Analysis. pp. 67–80. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-819233-7.00005-7. ISBN 978-0-12-819233-7.
  4. Fung, D.Y.C. (2014). "MICROBIOLOGICAL SAFETY OF MEAT | Yeasts and Molds". Encyclopedia of Meat Sciences. pp. 395–404. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-384731-7.00043-X. ISBN 978-0-12-384734-8.