Co-Culture of <i>Monascus purpureus</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i> Isolated from Wuyi Hongqu to Enhance <i>Monascus</i> Pigments Production While Inhibiting Citrinin Production.

ABSTRACT: Wuyi Hongqu (WYH), also called black-skin-red-koji, which has been utilizing as a fermentation starter for more than one thousand years in China, is a symbiotic combination of Monascus spp. and Aspergillus niger formed through long-term application and domestication. In this study, the strains of Monascus purpureus and A. niger isolated from WYH samples were used to investigate their mutual influence, especially the effects on three main secondary metabolites from M. purpureus, Monascus pigments (MPs), monacolin K (MK), and citrinin (CIT), using a double-sided Petri dish (DSPD). The results showed that co-cultivation of M. purpureus and A. niger strains was favorable to increase the MPs production while inhibiting the CIT production b

SUBMITTER: Yu Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12733441 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature