Rhizopus arrhizus

Rhizopus arrhizus is a member of a complex of soil-associated fungal species distributed worldwide that cause spoilage of vegetables and fruit. R. arrhizus is also widely used in food industry in the production of fermented food and in other biotechnological industries, such as research and development of new therapeutic compounds. This species has been isolated from plants and animals and can also cause disease in humans.