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Updated: Aug 12, 2026
08:19
Microfluidic Tools for Probing Fungal-Microbial Interactions at the Cellular Level
Published on: June 23, 2022
Fungal contamination patterns and surface material susceptibility in manufacturing environments
Nixon Anthony1, Wen Chun Chan1, Che Hsien Huang1
1Mold Research Center, YCM PRODUCTS CO., LTD., 509 Jinma road, Changhua 500, Taiwan.
Sustainable Microbiology
|August 11, 2026
Summary
Fungal contamination in footwear factories is influenced by humidity, not material type. Environmental monitoring can help manage these risks.
Area of Science:
- Industrial Microbiology
- Environmental Science
- Textile Manufacturing
Background:
- Fungal contamination presents quality and health risks in manufacturing.
- Understanding fungal patterns in textile sectors like footwear manufacturing is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate surface bioburden and fungal diversity in Indonesian footwear manufacturing facilities.
- To identify environmental drivers of fungal contamination in this sector.
Main Methods:
- Collected 84 surface samples from footwear manufacturing facilities.
- Utilized culture-based enumeration and environmental monitoring.
- Sequenced 43 contaminated samples to identify fungal genera.
Main Results:
- Identified 21 fungal genera, with Aspergillus and Penicillium being dominant.
- Material type showed minimal effect on contamination; wood surfaces had higher loads.
- Humidity was a consistent predictor; CO₂ showed surface-dependent correlations.
Conclusions:
- Humidity is a key factor predicting surface fungal contamination.
- Environmental monitoring can enhance contamination surveillance strategies in footwear manufacturing.
- Fungal contamination patterns are complex and influenced by environmental and operational factors.
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