METHOD FOR DIRECT PRODUCTION OF CRYSTALLINE PIGMENTS FROM MONASCUS DURING FERMENTATION

摘要

"METHOD FOR DIRECT PRODUCTION OF CRYSTALLINE PIGMENTS FROM MONASCUS DURING FERMENTATION" Crystalline precursor pigment formation is produced directly in a pigment-producing culture medium containing Monascus species by adding thereto an effective amount of a crystalline pigment inducer. Both the ease and cost of isolating the water insoluble orange pigment produced as a secondary metabolite by Monascus species can be substantially improved by inducing crystalline pigment formation directly in the culture medium. Poly(oxyethylene)sorbitan esters of palmitic acid are especially effective and cause the formation of large crystals. Another class of crystalline pigment inducing agents is that of the liquid vegetable oils, although generally these lead to smaller crystal sizes.