• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2019

Carotene, xanthophyll, carotenoid anthocyan, phycopyrine, chlorophyll, and monascus pigments are used as natural coloring agents since they are more stable to human body than synthetic coloring agents. Among them, monascus pigments are a natural red pigment produced by the Monascus purpureus. For the development of edible paint using natural pigment, Monascus purpureus strain was cultured at a temperature of $35^{\circ}C$ for 15 days on a PDYA plate and liquid medium to produce a red pigment. In addition, a large amount of the red pigment was extracted from Hongkuk Koji in parallel with water extraction and ultrasonic wave extraction. At this time, the yield of ultrasonic extract was 2~4 times higher. Thus, Monascus purpureus strains, etc. were prepared by freeze-drying powder. In conclusion, natural paints made with red pigments have enabled the development of been edible paints that can be used as eco-friendly materials with good viscosity, enhanced spread ability and coloration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.669-675
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• 2013

The stability of monascus pigment produced by Monascus sp. MK2 was investigated according to light, pH, temperature, organic acid, synthetic antioxidant, and natural substance. The light stability was increased (sun light < fluorescent lamp < ultraviolet rays < dark condition) when storing the monascus pigments. Although the monascus pigments were stable in the range of pH 3.0, the degradation rate of pigment was increased at pH 11.0. The stability of monascus pigment gradually decreased as temperature increased. In addition, pigment stability was increased by adding the synthetic antioxidant and natural substance.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2003

In the biological world, there are a number of ecological fights for survival between each organism such as plants, animals and microorganism In such events, an organism can use its natural bioactive products as defence agent against other organisms. Furthermore, natural bioactive products can be utilized for medicine or functional food. Recently, we investigate the effect of Monascus pigment extracted from a fungus, Monascus anke, on the alcohol metabolism and blood lipid profile. In the present study, it is observed that Monascus pigment supplemented dietary may have a hepatoprotective effect on rat's liver damage induced with $CCl_4$ . By treatment with $CCl_4$(3 times, I.P), liver damage was reduced more in the rats fed 2% Monascus pigment extract supplemented diet than those fed standard diet, based on the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, microsomal glucose-6-phosphatse activity and hepaic malondialdehyde content. On the other hand, oxygen free radical generating enzymes, hepatic P-450 dependent aniline hydroxylase, xanthine oxidase, and oxygen free radical scavenging enzymes, hepatic glutathione S-transferase, catalase, superoxide dismutase activities were generally higher both in $CCl_4$ treated group and control fed 2% Monascus pigment extract supplemented diet than those fed standard diet. In conclusion, the rats fed 2% Monascus pigment extract supplemented diet showed more reduced liver damage than those fed standard diet, which may be due to the acceleration of oxygen free radical metabolism.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.1 s.81
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• pp.137-142
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• 2007

For the production of natural pigments with microbe, the strains which produced monascus pigment were isolated, and then culture condition and extraction condition were investigated. These results are summarized as follows; The strain which ran produce monascus natural pigment was isolated from natural microbial sources and we made mutant of this strain with UV($235_{nm}$, 30 second) irradiation. The mutant was identified as Monascus sp. MK2-2. The optimal culture conditions were investigated optimal medium containing 0.3% rice powder, 0.2% yeast extract, 0.3% $NH_4H_2PO_4$ and $30^{\circ}C$ in a rotary shaker (120 rpm) for 5 days (initial pH 5.0), while the pigment production was determined at 24 hr intervals. The effective carbon sources were wheat flour > rice powder > fructose, and effective nitrogen sources were sodium nitrate > $KNO_3$ for production of the monascus natural pigment. The pigment capacity is good from 17 to 22 in C/N ratio. The production amount of monascus natural pigment was 0.38 g per 1 kg of rice. Also, extract of red yeast rice had anti-thrombosis activity like a degree of aspirin.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.338-342
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• 2002

Antimicrobial activity of yellow pigment produced by Monascus anka Y7 (Y7) was studied. The crude yellow pigment of Y7 showed antimicrobial activity against some bacteria and yeasts. The diameter of inhibition zone against gram-positive bacteria was a little smaller t]fan that of gram-negative bacteria to the crude yellow pigment. Especially, E2 fraction obtained from the crude yellow pigment by TLC method showed high anti-microbial activity against E. coli.. The fraction had bright yellow pigment, showing fluorescent light and having the maximum absorption at 373 nm. Citrinin, a mycotoxin which had been characterized as an antimicrobial substance from a Monascus strain, was not detected in the E2 fraction and in the crude yellow pigment by the results of TLC and HPLC. This indicates that the antimicrobial activity of Y7 pigments did not any relationship with citrinin. Yellow degree (b/a of Hunters color value) of Y7 pigment was much higher than that of other natural colorants such as annatto, gardenia yellow and carthamus yellow. But the colors of all of the yellow pigments were similar by panels. Thus, the yellow pigment of Y7 could be used as a useful alternative colorant for food industry, having the advantage of antimicrobial activity.

• 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+.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.756-762
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• 1996

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.

• 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.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 1990

Monascus anka strains with higher pigment production were developed using UV mutation and natural selection. To obtain organic solvent soluble pigments from Monascus anka, the following culture conditions were compared : standing and shaking culture with Nishikawa's medium, and shaking culture with Lin's medium. Shaking culture in Lin's medium exhibited decrease in solvent-soluble intracellular pigments after initial increase. The decrease was accompanied by the increase in water-soluble extracellular pigments. Monascus anka preferred sucrose and ethanol among 7 carbon sources tested. Treatment of sterol biosynthesis inhibitors, $({\pm})$-miconazole and chlorocholine chloride(CCC) , directed carbon pool to the biosynthetic pathway leading to the pigments with CCC's more pronounced effect. Two dimensional TLC revealed at least 7 yellow pigments suggesting existence of hereto unreported pigment. One of the most abundant yellow pigments was isolated and found to be ankaflavin by NMR and MS analysis.