A NEW PROCESS FOR RED PIGMENT PRODUCTION BY SUBMERGED CULTURE OF MONASCUS-PURPUREUS

Formation of red pigment by Monascus purpureus via diauxic growth on g lucose and ethanol in submerged culture was optimized based on inoculu m preparation and culture medium. A vegetative inoculum was prepared f rom spores grown on ethanol. The optimized culture medium was low in p hosphates, and had an initial pH of 5.5. The characteristics of Monasc us purpureus grown on glucose and on ethanol were compared: the specif ic consumption rate of glucose (q(G)) was higher than the specific con sumption rate of ethanol (q(E)), whereas the specific growth rate was greatest with ethanol. The specific production rate of red pigment (p( OD)) and pigment yield (Y-OD/s) with glucose was twice that with ethan ol. A novel fermentation process was developed with M. purpureus initi ally grown with controlled ethanol formation, and consumption of the l atter during pigment formation.