Monascus sp. MK2-2가 생산하는 홍국천연색소의 특성

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 can produce monascusnatural pigment was isolated from natural microbial sources and we made mutant of this strain with UV(235 ㎚ , 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% NH₄H₂PO₄, and 30℃ 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 ＞ KNO₃ 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 ㎏ of rice. Also, extract of red yeast rice had anti-thrombosis activity like a degree of aspirin.