Mould germination: data treatment and modelling.

Abstract The objectives of this study were i/ to examine germination data sets over a range of environmental conditions (water activity, temperature) for eight food spoilage moulds, ii/ to compare the ability of the Gompertz equation and logistic function to fit the experimental plots, iii/ to simulate germination by assessing various distributions of the latent period for germination amongst a population of spores. Data sets (percentage germination, P (%), versus time, t) of Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus ochraceus, Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium proliferatum, Gibberella zeae, Mucor racemosus, Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium verrucosum were analysed. No correlation, or re…