Other Uses
A. niger is the main agent in the fermentation of Pu-erh tea, the Okinawan awamori spirit, and some varieties of shochu.
In 2006, it was reported that a secreted RNase produced by A. niger called actibind has antiangiogenic and anticarcinogenic characteristics.
A. niger is also cultured for the extraction of the enzymes glucose oxidase (GO) and Alpha-galactosidase (AGS). Glucose oxidase is used in the design of glucose biosensors, due to its high affinity for β-D-glucose. Alpha-galactosidase can be produced by A. niger fermentation; it is used to hydrolyze alpha 1-6 bonds found in melibiose, raffinose, and stachyose.
Research published in 2006-2008 investigated A. niger prolyl endoprotease (AN-PEP), a microbial-derived prolyl endoprotease which cleaves gluten. This has strong implications in the treatment of coeliac disease or other metabolic gluten sensitivity disease processes. A placebo controlled, double blind study was initiated in December 2008 to determine the efficacy of this enzyme in treating humans with coeliac disease.
In the heyday of the opium trade, chandoo opium, which was meant to be smoked, was made by long term fermentation of A. niger and other molds on raw opium.
Read more about this topic: Aspergillus Niger