Odorous Metabolites of a Fungus, Chaetomium globosum Kinze ex Fr. Identification of Geosmin, a Musty-smelling Compound

Abstract

Geosmin, an earthy-musty smelling compound, and 2-phenylethanol were detected by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry combined with gas chromatography from the volatile metabolites of Chaetomium globosum Kinze ex Fr., a fungus isolated from the soil at Sugadaira, Nagano Prefecture. It was suggested that fungi are partly responsible for the unpleasant earthy-musty odor and taste in public water supplies. © 1981, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.