Antioxidant Activity of Extracts from Molds

The objective of this work was to screen molds for antioxidant activity. The results of screening 10 molds showed that three, Aspergillus candidus CCRC 31543, Aspergillus sp. CCRC 31742, and Penicillium oxalicum CCRC 31670, produce antioxidants that can be extracted from broth culture filtrates by ethyl acetate. The most antioxidant activity was found in the ethyl acetate extracts of A. candidus CCRC 31543. The antioxidant activity of A. candidus CCRC 31543 was as strong as that of rosemary extracts and butylated hydroxyanisole and was greater than that of α-tocopherol at the same concentrations. No antioxidant activity was found in aqueous extracts of A. candidus broth filtrate. A. candidus was cultured in a 500-ml Hiton flask containing 100 ml of growth broth, which consisted of 3% sucrose, 0.1 % yeast extract, 0.1 % polypeptone, 0.3% NaNO₃, 0.1% K₂HPO₄, 0.05% MgSO₄·· 7H₂O, 0.05% KCl, and 0.001 % FeSO₄ · 7H₂O, at an incubation temperature of 25°C for 15 days, and a shaking rate of 130 rpm. The antioxidant activity of A. candidus reached a maximum level after 13 days of culture.