Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Sample Preparation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Extracts for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Metabolomic Studies
Published on: September 3, 2012
The mycobiota of speck, a traditional Tyrolean smoked and cured ham
U Peintner1, J Geiger, R Pöder
1Institute of Microbiology, Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck, Austria.
Abstract:
Speck is a ham specialty product traditionally produced in South Tyrol (Italy) and North Tyrol (Austria) by farmers, butcheries, and meat industries. To date, nothing has been learned about fungi associated with this smoked and cured meat. Therefore, it was the main objective of this study to assess the typical mycobiota of Speck in relation to the different production types and the geographic provenance. A total of 121 Speck samples from North Tyrol and South Tyrol was analyzed. From 63 isolated fungal species, only a few can be regarded as typical colonizers: Eurotium rubrum and Penicillium solitum were the dominating species in all types and parts of Speck (crust, meat, and fat). Eight other Penicillium spp. were relatively frequent. The species diversity increased from industrially produced Speck to products from butcheries and farmers, and it was higher in all types of South Tyrolean products. Among the typical mycobiota, Penicillium verrucosum, Penicillium canescens, and Penicillium commune are known as potentially mycotoxigenic.
Related Concept Videos
Sputum Studies I: Gram Stain, cytology, and Acid-fast smear and culture
Gram Stain
The Gram Stain is an integral part of sputum studies. It involves the staining of sputum, which permits...
Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes
Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria
Microbes in Food Production
Microbes in the Production of Fermented Foods
Microbiota of the Respiratory Tract

