• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.943-950
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• 2003

To identify the functional properties of Hongkuk ju and to improve its brewing process, Hongkuk ju was brewed using different hongkuks (Monascus red koji) made by Monascus purpureus, Monascus anka, Monascus aruneosus, and nuruk. Hongkuk using M. purpureus showed the highest enzyme activity. Hongkuk ju prepared with the M. purpureus hongkuk was fermented most efficiently, and showed the highest Hunter value. Hongkuk ju showed significant levels of phenolic compounds, electron donating ability, nitrate-scavenging activity, and ACE inhibition activity. In particular, Hongkuk ju made with M. purpureus showed the highest value among the wines of this study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.164-169
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• 2004

We had screened the Monascus strain capable of producing monacolin K dominantly among 29 Monascus strains. Red yeast rice was prepared by culturing each Monascus sp. with 200 g of steamed rice (12$0^{\circ}C$, 20 min) at 3$0^{\circ}C$ for 10 days and drying at 8$0^{\circ}C$ for 20 min. As a result, red yeast rice cultured by M. purpureus ATCC16457, M. purpureu IFO 32316, M. purpureus IFO 32228, M. kaoliang ATCC 46595 and M. kaoliang ATCC 46596 produced lots of red pigment and monacolin K. An unidentified Monascus sp. showed the highest productivityof red pigment and monacolin K among 29 Monascus strains. Its production of red pigment and monacolin K was 1.3∼39 times and 2.4∼8 times higher than other strains, respectively. Although the morphological characteristics of unidentified Monascus strain were a little different from the typical M. purpureus, it was identified as M. purpureus CBS 281.34 from the result of sequencing of ITS (Internal transcribed spacer) and 28S ribosomal RNA (partial).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.468-475
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate antioxidant activity and cell differentiation effects of Monascus purpureus pigment on osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cell. In order to examine the antioxidant activities of Monascus purpureus pigment, DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging and SOD-like activities were investigated. DPPH radical and ABTS radical scavenging activities of Monascus purpureus pigment were increased in a dose-dependent manner, and maximum activity were 94% and 99% at a concentration of 1,000 ㎍/ml, respectively. Additionally, SOD-like activity of Monascus purpureus pigment showed 62% at a concentration of 1,000 ㎍/ml. MC3T3-E1 cells did not show cytotoxicity in the concentration range of Monascus purpureus pigment 1~100 ㎍/ml. The ALP activity was increased by addition of Monascus purpureus pigment, and the maximum activity was 124% as compared with control. In addition, nodule formation, a late differentiation factor for bone formation, was increased by adding Monascus purpureus pigment compared to control. These results suggest that Monascus purpureus pigment is expected to be a natural source for developing functional materials to prevent bone-related diseases by osteoblast differentiation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.250-256
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• 2006

The optimum cultural conditions for production of Monascus natural pigment by Monascus purpureus MK2 were investigated in submerged culture. This strain was showed the maximum production of monascus natural pigment in the optimal medium of 3.0% wheat flour, 0.15% $NaNO_3$, 0.2% $K_{2}HPO_4$ and 0.05% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_{2}O$, at pH 7.0. The maximum production of this pigment was achieved at $30^{\circ}C$ for 7 day cultivation under 130 rpm shaking. At optimal condition, Monascus purpureus MK2 produced 29.10, 36.84 and 48.92 units of yellow, orange and red pigment, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.135-139
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• 2005

Antioxidant activity of monascus pigment of Monascus purpureus P-57 mutant was studied. Methanol extract from monascus pigment was separated into five organic solvent fractions; hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and water fractions. Hexane fraction showed the highest free radical scavenging effect on 1,l-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl(DPPH), and the strongest inhibitory effect against xanthine oxidase, followed by chloroform fraction. But butanol and water fraction did not show inhibitory effect against the enzyme. Lineweaver-Burk plot showed that hexane fraction inhibited xanthine oxidase by non-competitive mode.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.76-81
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• 2008

Currently, natural food colorants and preservatives are being used for their general health benefits. Monascus koji, the product of certain fungi that grow on rice grains, has been added to many foods for coloring and preservation. In this study, the antimicrobial activities of Monascus koji ethanol extracts were investigated. Six Monascus strains (M. araneosus KFRI 00371, M. kaoliang ATCC 46597, M. pilosus IFO 4520, M. purpureus IFO 4482, M. ruber IFO 32318 and M. sp. ATCC 16437) were selected based on their relative intensity of red pigment. Two Monascus extracts, M. kaoliang ATCC 46597 and M. purpureus IFO 4482, displayed antimicrobial activities against Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium in concentration-dependent manners. The two extracts showed their strongest antimicrobial activity against S. typhimurium, a cause of food poisoning. Therefore, these results suggest that Monascus koji could be used as a natural food colorant and preservative.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.4 s.71
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• pp.536-541
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• 2005

Obesity is emerging as one of the major risk factors of death in Korea as well as western societies. This study was performed to investigate the effect of kimchi with Monascus purpureus (Hongkuk) on liver function, plasma lipid composition of rats fed high fat diet for four weeks in rats. Rats were divided into the following 6 groups; I group (normal diet), II group (normal diet with $1\%$ kimchi powder using $5.0\%$ Hongkuk), III group (high fat diet), IV group (high fat diet with $1\%$ kimchi powder), V group (hish fat diet with $1\%$ kimchi powder using $2.5\%$ Hongkuk), and VI group (high fat diet with $1\%$ kimchi powder using $5\%$ Hongkuk). Weight gains showed to decrease in group IV, V, VI. Food intake and food efficiency ratio were no significantly different among the groups. Plasma total cholesterol showed to decrease with kimchi using Hongkuk. LDL-cholesterol levels were lower in kimchi using Hongkuk than that of control group. These results demonstrated that the kimchi and kimchi using Monascus purpureus(Hongkuk) decreased weight gains and lowered serum cholesterol levels in rat.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.942-948
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• 2017

To establish manufacturing technology of tofu shake added with red rice prepared with Monascus purpureus KCCM 60570, the quality characteristics of tofu shake added with M. purpureus KCCM 60570 were investigated. Also, we determined the optimal mixing ratios of raw materials including red rice for manufacturing tofu shake. Monacolin K and mold number of red rice were increased rapidly until $8^{th}$ day of incubation and then gradually increased during the 12 day manufacturing period. As the results, it was considered to be most suitable to prepare red rice for 8 days at $25^{\circ}C$, and inoculate 1% (w/w) M. purpureus KCCM 60570. Sensory evaluation of tofu shake added with red rice and tofu shake without red rice was not significantly different at p<0.05. In sensory evaluation, tofu shake added with 0.5% (w/w) red rice was higher in taste, texture, and overall acceptability than the other. Therefore, the optimal mixing ratio of red rice and tofu shake is 0.5% (w/w). These results suggest that the addition of red rice could improve the quality of tofu shake.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.618-623
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• 2005

Kimchi was prepared with 2.5% and 5% Monascus purpureus Koji(MPK) paste(20%), fermented at $10^{\circ}C$ for 15 days, and sampled at 3-day intervals during storage. Samples were extracted using 80% ethanol. Ethanol extracts of kimchi prepared with MPK paste (MPK kimchi extracts) and control kimchi extracts at 1mg/mL showed 40% decrease in proliferation of cancer cells, such as AGS, KATOIII, HepG2, and Hela. MPK kimchi extracts showed highest cytotoxic effect against cancer cells compared with control at 2mg/mL. Antibacterial effect of MPK kimchi extracts decreased during fermentation, and was higher than that of control kimchi extracts during fermentation, particularly after six days. The 5% MPK kimchi extracts showed higher antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus than other groups. Results indicate kimchi added with M. purpureus Koji paste has stronger antibacterial and anticancer effects in vitro than control kimchi.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 1997

The stability of monascin yellow pigment isolated from Monascus purpureus was determined over a period of storage for the wide range of pH, various metal ions and antioxidants. The absorption maximum of monascin pigment was 385 nm. Monascin pigment was more stable in acid solutions than in alkaline (pH 9 and pH 11) during storage period. It was also observed the reduction of absorption was occur after 3 days storage. The stability of monascin pigment was not changed by adding the various metal ions of the concentration of 10-4 M, however, it was unstable by adding the Zn2+, Al3+ and Fe3+ of 103- M concentration. The antioxidants. BHA, BHT, cysteine and L-ascorbic acid, have no effects on the stability of monascin yellow pigment. Thus, it may be concluded that the monascin pigment is stable and useful food additives as the natural colorant except for the alkaline food and food containing the Zn2+, Al3+ and Fe3+.