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Dietetic and Pharmaceutical Raw Materials
MONASCUS PURPUREUS
Monascus fermentate: A new dietetic raw material
Monascus purpureus is a red
mold species which may be cultivated on starch containing substrates. The solid
state fermentation of rice by Monascus has a long tradition in East Asian
countries which dates back at least to the first century A.D. (MEYER, 1990).
The fermentate is obtained as scarlet to purple red grains which have the
original rice grain structure well preserved. Trade product is mostly a ground
powder which is called in China
"Ang Kak" or "Hong Qu" (pronounced approximately "Hong
zhu" (rhymes with French "rue")). The Japanese know the product
under the name "Koji". A health promoting effect is ascribed
traditionally to the product, thus in a book on Chinese medicine published in Beijing in 1590 by LI,
SHI-CHUN (1590). The main application is however, as a food additive, in
particular to meat as a preservative and condiment. Its use in the rice wine
manufacture is due to its high content of alpha-amylase which promotes the
conversion of starch into glucose. (The attractive red color of rice wine is
caused by Monascus pigments). Monascus became known in Europe
through the investigations of Dutch scientist who observed the use of red mold
rice by the population in Java. They isolated and classified various Monascus
species botanically (TIEGHEM, 1884; WENT, 1895). Next to Monascus purpureus
WENT the similarly pigmented species M. pilsus SATO and M. ruber VAN THIEGHEM
are cultivated. Scientific investigations have confirmed pharmacological
effects of Monascus fermentate. ENDO (1980) isolated from Monascus ruber a
metabolite, Monacolin K which normalized an artificially induced
hyperlipoproteinemia in rats. The reduced form of Monacolin K, Mevinolin has
meanwhile been introduced as an cholesterol reducing pharmaceutical (by Merck,
Sharp and Dohme) (TOBERT, 1987). Also simple extracts of Monascus purpureus
fermentate lower the cholesterol, the HDL cholesterol and the triglyceride
value in the blood of rats with an induced hyperlipoproteinemia (FINK-GREMMELS,
1989). The observed effect is weaker than in pharmaceutical preparations and is
rather comparable to the effect of certain spices e.g. of garlick (HÄNSEL,
1984). A Japanese patent (JAPAN KOKAI, 1985) describes the blood pressure
lowering by Monascus fermentate itself and by an alcoholic extract thereof.
Monascus extract is marketed in Japan
as a dietetic product (under the name Monacolin by Maruzen). The preservative
effect of Monascus fermentate has also been confirmed by scientific
investigation. Monascidin A, a component isolated from Monascus purpureus
cultures inhibits bacteria of the genera Bacillus, Streptococcus und
Pseudomonas (WONG, 1977). Two yellow pigments from Monascus purpureus had in
low concentration a bacteriostatic funtion against Bacillus subtilis (WONG,
1981). CHEN (1989) observed an inhibitory effect in particular against
Staphylococcus aureus. Further research on the bacteriostatic effect of
Monascus fermentate was carried out by FINK-GREMMELS (1989) and by LEISTNER
(1991). Gram positive bacteria are generally stronger inhibited than gram
negative ones. Lactobacillus is not affected (DRESEL, 1994). The observation of
bacteriostatic effects has lead to the consideration to use Monascus fermentate
at least partially as a substitute for Nitrite in meat preservation.
(FINK-GREMMELS, 1989(II)). A scientific proof of the flavour enhancing
properties of Monascus fermentate is difficult to obtain. However, in a tasting
panel tasters called Monascus containing noodles "more salty" then
normal noodles although there was actually no difference in the salt content
(KUNZ, 1993). Monascus extract containing meat products were generally
classified as better tasting than comparable products without Monascus
(FINK-GREMMELS, 1991). One may speculate that the relishing effect of Monascus
could be caused by flavour enhancing oligopeptides produced by a partial
hydrolysis of rice proteins by Monascus enzymes. For the strong color of
Monascus fermentate a number of yellow, red, and organge colored pigments are
responsible. The pigments are secondary metabolites of the Monascus
fermentation, they belong chemically to the group of Azaphilones which are
typical fungus metabolites. The chemical structure of most of them is known
(SALOMON 1932, SWEENEY, 1981). Depending on whether the yellow or red pigments
predominate or are absent, the colour of Monascus purpureus varies from orange
yellow to scarlett to purple red. The colour can be influenced by the culture
conditions, in particular by the pH value and by the phosphorus and nitrogen
source in the substrate (KUNZ, 1987; MEYER, 1990).
References
DRESEL, J., 1994: Personal
Communication.
ENDO, A., 1980: J. Antibiotics, 23:334-337
FINK-GREMMELS, J.; LEISTNER, L., 1989(I): Fleischwirtschaft 69:115-122
FINK-GREMMELS, J.; GLENN, E.; LEISTNER, L., 1989(II): Mitteilungsblatt der
Bundesanstalt für Fleischforschung, 28:325-329 HÄNSEL, R.; HAAS, H., 1984:
Therapie mit Phytopharmaka, Springer Verlag, S. 188-189
JAPAN KOKAI, 1985: Hypertension Remedial Agent. Japanese Patent No. 3-31170
KUNZ, B,; OBER, P., 1993:
BioEngineering 3/87:18-26
KUNZ, B, 1993: Personal Communication
LEISTNER, L.; DRESEL, J., 1991: Untersuchung der keimhemmenden Wirkung von
Monascus-Extrakten. Mitteilungsblatt der Bundesanstalt für Fleischforschung,
30:186-194
LI, CHIH CHUN, 1590: Pen Chaw Kang Mu, Peking
MEYER, H.-G., 1990: Diplomarbeit, Saarbrücken
SALOMON, H. VON, KARRER, P., 1932: Pflanzenfarbstoffe XXXVIII, Helv. Chim. Acta. 15:18-22 (1932)
SWEENEY, J. G., et. al.,
1981: J. Agric. Food Chem., 29(6):1189-1193
TIEGHEM, M. VAN, 1884: Monascus genre nouveau de l'ondre des Ascomycetes. Bull. Soc. Bot. France, 31, 226-231
TOBERT, J.A., 1987:
Circulation, 76:534-538
WENT, F.A. F.C., 1895: Le
champignon de l'ang-quac. Une nouvelle thélébolée. Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot.
Ser. 8 1:1-18
WONG, H.C.; BAU, Y.S.,
1977: Pigmentation and antibacterial activity of fas neutron and X-ray induced
strains of Monascus purpureus. Plant Physiol. 60:578-581
WONG, H.C.; KOEHLER, P. E.,
1981: J. Food Sci., 46:589-592
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