Enhancement and characterization of natural pigments produced by Monascus spp. using Saccharina japonica as fermentation substrate

• Published in: Journal of applied phycology 2018-02, Vol.30 (1), p.729-742
• Main Authors: Suraiya, Sharmin, Siddique, Mahbubul Pratik, Lee, Jong-Min, Kim, Eun-Young, Kim, Jin-Man, Kong, In-Soo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; Antioxidants; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Ecology; Electron microscopy; Enzymatic activity; Enzyme activity; Fermentation; Fermented food; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Incubation period; Inoculum; Life Sciences; Moisture content; Monascus; Monascus purpureus; Mycelia; Peptones; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Pigments; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Red pigments; Saccharides; Saccharina japonica; Scanning electron microscopy; Seaweeds; Solid state fermentation; Stability; Substrates; Sugar; Water content
• ISSN: 0921-8971; 1573-5176
• DOI: 10.1007/s10811-017-1258-4

The study aimed to maximize the production of natural pigments from Monascus spp. using Saccharina japonica as a solid state fermentation substrate at optimized physical and nutritional conditions. The yield of yellow, orange, and red pigments of Monascus purpureus were 83.01, 80.07, and 79.87 AU g dfs −1 and Monascus kaoliang were 83.23, 77.22, and 75.09 AU g dfs −1 , respectively, when providing external 0.8% glucose and 0.4% peptone at incubation temperature 30 °C for 20 days. Medium inoculum size of 3 mL and moisture content of 50% for M. purpureus and 60% for M. kaoliang showed the highest pigment production. Scanning electron microscopy showed better mycelial growth of M. purpureus than M. kaoliang on S. japonica . Monascus spp. fermented seaweed was highly bioactive showing DNA protection and antioxidant activity because of increasing phenolic and flavonoid contents during fermentation period. The highest reducing sugar content was found at 15 days and glucanase enzyme activity was found at 20 days of fermentation for both of the species. The pigments were separated by thin layer of chromatography and the R f values were obtained 0.91 and 0.84 for yellow and orange pigments and two spots of 0.69 and 0.41 for red pigments. At different physicochemical stress, red pigment of M. purpureus showed more stability than that of M. kaoliang . So, it can be concluded that S. japonica was a very suitable substrate at optimum conditions for Monascus spp. natural pigment production.