Determining a suitable carbon source for the production of intracellular pigments from Monascus purpureus HBSD 08

Abstract

Purpose

The Monascus pigment has been widely applied in the food processing industry as a functional additive. Lovastatin and polysaccharides are two important bio-active materials found in Monascus. Citrinin is considered as mycotoxin. Thus, it is important to produce high yields of intracellular Monascus pigments with high yields of lovastatin and polysaccharides, while maintaining low citrinin yields under liquid fermentation.

Design/methodology/approach

The intracellular yields of pigments, lovastatin, polysaccharides and citrinin; biomass; and reducing the sugar content of Monascus purpureus HBSD 08 were determined every day during a 10-day culturing period using lactose, maltose, sucrose, glucose, glycerine and xylose as the sole carbon sources. Additionally, the pigment composition was analysed by a thin layer chromatography (TLC) and the in vitro antitumor activities of the pigments were determined.

Findings

The maximal yield of pigments (55.44 U/mL after six days of culture) and lovastatin content (1,475.30 µg/L after five days of culture) were obtained in the presence of glucose and maltose as the sole carbon sources, respectively. The suitable carbon sources for high intracellular polysaccharides yields were sucrose, maltose and xylose. Glucose should not be chosen as the sole carbon source because of its high food safety risk. In vitro antitumor activities of pigments in the presence of different carbon sources were in the order of xylose > glucose = maltose > glycerine > sucrose = lactose. The pigment compositions in the presence of different carbon sources were the same from the TLC analysis. Thus, maltose displayed high intracellular yields of pigments, lovastatin and polysaccharides; high food safety against citrinin, and high in vitro antitumor activity during the ten days culturing period.

Originality/value

This study shows us the benefits of using maltose as a substrate in the production of intracellular Monascus pigments while ensuring economic and food safety.

Citation

Huawei, Z., Chengtao, W., Jie, Q., Bingjing, Z., Bing, Z. and Chuangyun, D. (2019), "Determining a suitable carbon source for the production of intracellular pigments from Monascus purpureus HBSD 08", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 48 No. 6, pp. 547-554. https://doi.org/10.1108/PRT-05-2019-0042