초록
In order to develop the method for mass production of natural food colorant from Monascus anka, optimum cultivation conditions for producing red and yellow pigments by cultiva- ting the mold in a jar fermenter and their color characteristics were investigated. The mold produced red and yellow pigments both intracellularly and extracellularly. These pigments showed unique light absorption characteristics with maximum absorption of 494, 380, 506, and 388 nm for extracellular red pigment (ERP), extracellular yellow pigment (EYP), intracellular red pigment (IRP), and intracellular yellow pigment (IYP), respectively. Optimum conditions for producing red pigments were found to be temperature 30$\circ$C, initial pH 6.0, rice powder 3-5%, peptone 0.05%, magnesium sulfate 0.25%, aeration rate 0.1 vvm. Optimum temperature for producing yellow pigments was around 35$\circ$C which is higher than that of producing red pigments. The initial pH and rice powder concentration for producing yellow pigments were the same as those of producing red pigments. The higher concentration of nitrogen source and inorganic salt, aeration rate, the more the yellow pigments were produced. The optimum agitation speed was 100 - 300 rpm for pigment production.
