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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