Honeysuckle as a Bio-Enhancer in <i>Monascus purpureus</i> Fermentation: Synergistic Improvement of Monacolin K Yield and Flavor Complexity.

ABSTRACT: Recently, co-fermentation of functional medicinal plants with fungi has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance the overall quality of fermented foods. Monascus fermentation products have long been confronted with bottlenecks in both functionality and palatability, such as low monacolin K (MK) yield and poor flavor. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of co-fermenting Monascus purpureus with honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) on the bioactive metabolites and volatile flavor compounds of the fermented product. Through single-factor optimization, the addition of 0.8 g/L honeysuckle powder was identified as optimal, resulting in a 1.54-fold increase in MK yield compared to the control. Additionally, nine key genes were upregulated in the MK biosynthetic

SUBMITTER: Ablimit A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12897098 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature