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Food & Function Jul 2020Monascin, a specific type of monascus pigments, exhibits many bioactivities. In this study, the antioxidative activity of monascin was investigated by theoretical and...
Monascin, a specific type of monascus pigments, exhibits many bioactivities. In this study, the antioxidative activity of monascin was investigated by theoretical and experimental methods. First, the antioxidant potential of six monascus pigments was predicted by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) at the B3LYP/6-31+G (d, p) level, and monascus yellow pigments were predicted to have strong antioxidant capacity, as they can transfer hydrogen to free radicals and accept electrons from radicals. Then, the free radical-scavenging capacity of monascin for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals was experimentally validated by electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement. Monascin exhibited a quenching effect on DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals in a dose-dependent manner. Specifically, the scavenging activity of monascin for DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals was 97.5%, 59.5%, and 68.6%, respectively, when 0.1 mg mL-1 monascin was present. Our study provides theoretical evidence for the strong antioxidative activity of monascin and offers a simple and reliable strategy to determine the antioxidative activity.
Topics: Antioxidants; Biphenyl Compounds; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; Humans; Monascus; Phytotherapy; Picrates
PubMed: 32584351
DOI: 10.1039/c9fo02410g -
Food Science and Biotechnology Apr 2021The yellow pigments (YMPs) named monascin and ankaflavin and the orange pigments (OMPs) named rubropunctatin and monascorubrin are two groups of bioactive components...
The yellow pigments (YMPs) named monascin and ankaflavin and the orange pigments (OMPs) named rubropunctatin and monascorubrin are two groups of bioactive components in a mixture state in the fermented products. In order to separate these two groups of bioactive pigments, a facile macroporous resin-based method was developed. The weak-polar resin CAD-40 was selected from the seven tested macroporous resins as it revealed better properties for the adsorption and desorption of the YMPs and OMPs. Then, CAD-40 resin was used for column-chromatographic separation. After eluted by 4 bed volumes of ethanol, the yellow group (monascin and ankaflavin) and the orange group (rubropunctatin and monascorubrin) were successfully separated and purified, with an increased content from 49.3% and 44.2% in the crude pigment extract to 85.2% and 83.0% in the final products, respectively. This method would be helpful for the large-scale separation and purification of pigment products with specific bioactivity.
PubMed: 33936846
DOI: 10.1007/s10068-021-00892-1 -
Journal of the Science of Food and... Apr 2021Hyperlipidemia is one of the metabolic disorders that poses a great threat to human health. This study is aimed at investigating the potential hypolipidemic properties...
BACKGROUND
Hyperlipidemia is one of the metabolic disorders that poses a great threat to human health. This study is aimed at investigating the potential hypolipidemic properties of extract from peanut meal fermented with Bacillus natto and Monascus in mice fed with a high-fat diet. Herein, 60 male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups: four control groups, comprised of a normal group, a model (M) group, a positive control group (atorvastatin 10 mg kg ), and a nonfermented peanut meal extract group (150 mg kg ), and two experimental groups, comprised of a fermented peanut meal extract low-dose group (50 mg kg ) and a fermented peanut meal extract high-dose group (FH, 150 mg kg ).
RESULTS
Body weight (P = 0.001) and levels of serum total cholesterol (P = 0.007), triacylglycerol (P = 0.040), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.001), and leptin (P < 0.001) were remarkably decreased in the FH group, whereas the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were increased (P < 0.001) by 78.3% compared with the M group. Ileum tissue stained with hematoxylin and eosin showed that the ileal villus detachments in mice were improved, and the villus height was increased by supplementation with extract from fermented peanut meal. Moreover, the expressions of intestinal ZO-1 (P = 0.003) and occludin (P = 0.013) were elevated in the FH group, compared with the M group.
CONCLUSION
Extract of peanut meal fermented by B. natto and Monascus can effectively improve hyperlipidemia caused by a high-fat diet in mice, via regulating leptin and blood lipid levels, and protect the intestinal mucosal barrier, which provides evidence for its anti-hyperlipidemia effects and is a research basis for potential industrial development. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
Topics: Animals; Arachis; Bacillus; Cholesterol, HDL; Cholesterol, LDL; Diet, High-Fat; Fermentation; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hypolipidemic Agents; Intestinal Mucosa; Lipid Metabolism; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Monascus; Plant Extracts; Soy Foods; Triglycerides
PubMed: 33063356
DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.10884 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2023red pigments (MRPs), which are a kind of natural colorant produced by spp., are widely used in the food and health supplements industry but are not very stable during...
red pigments (MRPs), which are a kind of natural colorant produced by spp., are widely used in the food and health supplements industry but are not very stable during processing and storage. Thus, MRPs were embedded into liposome membranes using a thin-film ultrasonic method to improve stability in this study. red pigments liposomes (MRPL) exhibited spherical unilamellar vesicles (UV) with particle size, polydispersity indexes (PDI), and zeta potential of 20-200 nm, 0.362 ± 0.023, and -42.37 ± 0.21 mV, respectively. pH, thermal, light, metal ion, storage, and in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion stability revealed that, compared with free MRPs, liposomes embedding significantly enhanced the stability of MRPs when exposed to adverse environmental conditions. Furthermore, anticancer assay suggested that MRPL exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect on MKN-28 cells by damaging the integrity of cells, with the IC value at 0.57 mg/mL. Overall, MRPLs possess stronger stability in external environment and in vitro simulated digestion with greater anticancer activity, indicating that MRPLs have the potential for promising application in the functional foods and pharmaceutical industries.
PubMed: 36765975
DOI: 10.3390/foods12030447 -
Microbiological Research May 2022Monascus spp. are filamentous fungi used in fermented foods. They are also natural colorants and food preservatives. Certain metabolites of Monascus spp. lower...
Monascus spp. are filamentous fungi used in fermented foods. They are also natural colorants and food preservatives. Certain metabolites of Monascus spp. lower cholesterol and have other health-promoting effects in humans. In the present study, we demonstrated that the fermentation products of Monascus spp. inhibited ATP synthesis and motility in toxigenic Vibrio cholerae. Single-cell tracking and rotation assays on single flagella showed that Monascus fermentation extract (MFE) significantly impaired V. cholerae swimming by disrupting flagellar rotation. A membrane potential-sensitive carbocyanine dye revealed that MFE depolarized the V. cholerae cell membrane which, in turn, lowered the membrane potential and, by extension, restricted ATP synthesis and flagellar rotation. MFE also severely hindered the motility of other pathogenic bacteria such as V. parahaemolyticus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, and Leptospira interrogans. The foregoing findings indicate that Monascus fermentation extract could potentially preventing infection caused by multiple pathogenic bacteria as the conventional prophylaxes and slow their progression and lower mortality and morbidity.
Topics: Fermentation; Flagella; Humans; Monascus; Salmonella typhimurium; Vibrio cholerae
PubMed: 35220137
DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.126995 -
Fungal Genetics and Biology : FG & B Jun 2021Monascus spp. are widely used in the production of monacolin K and food- grade pigments in East Asia. In Aspergillus species, the three transcription factors...
Monascus spp. are widely used in the production of monacolin K and food- grade pigments in East Asia. In Aspergillus species, the three transcription factors BrlA → AbaA → WetA sequentially function as the central activators of asexual development (conidiation), leading to the formation of conidiophores. Unlike their close relative Aspergillus spp., Monascus spp. produce basipetospora-type asexual spores (conidia), and their genomes contain homologs of brlA and wetA but not abaA. In the present study, to investigate their roles in Monascus conidiation, MrbrlA and MrwetA were functionally characterized by gene knockout and overexpression in Monascus ruber M7. The results revealed that the deletion and overexpression of MrbrlA and/or MrwetA caused no apparent changes in the morphology, size, number, structure, or germination of conidia. However, deletion and overexpression of MrwetA severely repressed sexual development and affected the production of secondary metabolites. Taken together, these results suggest that the well-established central regulatory model of conidiation in Aspergillus is not applicable in their Monascus relatives. The results of the present study could enrich our understanding of the asexual development regulatory networks in filamentous fungi.
Topics: Gene Knockout Techniques; Genes, Fungal; Monascus; Reproduction, Asexual; Spores, Fungal
PubMed: 33962042
DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2021.103564 -
Journal of Agricultural and Food... May 2024is a filamentous fungus that has been used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. When used as an auxiliary fermenting agent in the manufacturing of cheese, cheese... (Review)
Review
is a filamentous fungus that has been used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. When used as an auxiliary fermenting agent in the manufacturing of cheese, cheese is obtained. Citrinin (CIT) is a well-known hepatorenal toxin produced by that can harm the kidneys structurally and functionally and is frequently found in foods. However, CIT contamination in cheese is exacerbated by the metabolic ability of to product CIT, which is not lost during fermentation, and by the threat of contamination by spp. that may be introduced during production and processing. Considering the safety of consumption and subsequent industrial development, the CIT contamination of cheese products needs to be addressed. This review aimed to examine its occurrence in cheese, risk implications, traditional control strategies, and new research advances in prevention and control to guide the application of biotechnology in the control of CIT contamination, providing more possibilities for the application of in the cheese industry.
Topics: Monascus; Cheese; Citrinin; Food Contamination; Humans; Fermentation
PubMed: 38627202
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00588 -
Fungal Genetics and Biology : FG & B May 2022The filamentous fungi Monascus spp. have been widely used in the production of food colorants. However, the presence of mycotoxin citrinin and the...
The filamentous fungi Monascus spp. have been widely used in the production of food colorants. However, the presence of mycotoxin citrinin and the antihypercholestrolemia agent monacolin K in Monascus-fermented products (MFPs) has raised food safety concerns. Here we de novo-sequenced the genomes of 26 Monascus species and proposed an unprecedented classification system, consist of sections A, B and C, according to the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) distribution and phylogeny results. Based on the absence of citrinin gene cluster, section B species were genetically incapable of synthesizing citrinin. A distinguished section A strain named Monascus sanguineus was believed to be a promising food-pigment-producer particularly owing to the simultaneous inactivation of citrinin and monacolin K clusters. Interestingly, gene losses within Monascus secondary metabolism gene clusters were broadly discovered, which may convey a selective advantage in nutrients and energy competition to support the strong pigment-producing ability. Overall, our sectional delimitation system will reshape the industrial strategies for this economically important fungus.
Topics: Citrinin; Lovastatin; Monascus; Multigene Family; Pigments, Biological; Secondary Metabolism
PubMed: 35315337
DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2022.103687 -
Korean Journal For Food Science of... 2017This effect of and on the chemical composition, physical, texture and sensory properties of sausage were investigated during storage. Eight treatments (T) of sausage...
This effect of and on the chemical composition, physical, texture and sensory properties of sausage were investigated during storage. Eight treatments (T) of sausage such as T1 (12 ppm sodium nitrite), while T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7 were formulated with different ratios of /: 63/7.0, 108/12, 135/15, 59.5/10.5, 102/18 and 127.5/22.5 ppm, respectively. The batch formulated without nitrite or and laccaic acid was served as control (C). The control sausages had higher pH values compared to the treated ones at 3, 10 and 28 d storage (<0.05). After 10 d storage, the pH values decreased in treated sausage samples (<0.05). The T1 and T4 presented the lowest yellowness and lightness values, respectively over the storage period. The redness values were increased as increasing and amounts (T2-T4, T5-T7). The addition of and had significantly higher hardness and springiness values (<0.05) compared with the control in 3, 19 or 28 d storage. The results indicated that the addition of and could improve the redness of the products.
PubMed: 28316466
DOI: 10.5851/kosfa.2017.37.1.10 -
Preparative Biochemistry & Biotechnology Jan 2024Bidirectional fermentation is a technology that utilizes fungi to ferment medicinal edible substrates, with synergistic and complementary advantages. In this work, a...
Bidirectional fermentation is a technology that utilizes fungi to ferment medicinal edible substrates, with synergistic and complementary advantages. In this work, a fermentation strategy was established to produce a high yield of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and pigments (MPs) using and mulberry leaves (MLs). Firstly, the basic fermentation parameters were determined using single-factor experiments, followed by Plackett-Burman (PB) experimental design to identify MLs, glucose, peptone, and temperature as significant influencing factors. The fermentation parameters were optimized using an artificial neural network (ANN). Finally, the effects of bidirectional fermentation of MLs and were investigated by bioactivity analysis, microstructure observation, and RT-qPCR. The outcomes showed that the bidirectional fermentation significantly increased the bioactive content and promoted the secondary metabolism of . The established fermentation conditions were 44.2 g/L of MLs, 57 g/L of glucose, 15 g/L of peptone, 1 g/L of MgSO, 2 g/L of KHPO, 8% (v/v) of inoculum, 180 rpm, initial pH 6, 32 °C and 8 days. The content of GABA reached 13.95 g/L and the color value of MPs reached 408.07 U/mL. This study demonstrated the feasibility of bidirectional fermentation of MLs and , providing a new idea for the application of MLs and .
Topics: Fermentation; Monascus; Morus; Peptones; Pigments, Biological; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; Glucose
PubMed: 37139803
DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2023.2207111