International Journal of Food Microbiology 27 (1995) 201-213 zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXW hte m a fio na l Jo urna l o f Fo o d Mic ro b iilo g y Characterization of monascidin A from zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZ M onascus as citrinin P.J. Blanc a,*, J.P. Laussac b, J. Le Bars ‘, P. Le Bars ‘, M.O. Loret a, A. Pareilleux a, D. Prome d, J.C. Prome d, A.L. Santerre a, G. Goma a a Dejsartement Genie Biochimique et Alimentabe, UA-CNRS W 544, Institut National des Sciences Appliquees, Complete Scientifque de Rangueil, F-31077 Toulouse Cedex, France b Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, CNRS, 205 route de Narbonne, F-31077 Toulouse Cedex, France ’ Lahoratoire de Pharmacologic-Toxicologic, INRA, 180 Chemin de Toumefeuille, F-31931 Toulouse Cedex, France d Laborntoire de Pharmacologic et de Toxicologic Fondamentales, CNRS, 20.5 route de Narbonne, F-31077 Toulouse Cedex, France Received 12 April 1994; revised 26 September 1994; accepted 2 December 1994 Abstract Following our investigations on red pigments and monascidin co-production by Monascus species, the antibiotic called monascidin A was characterized as citrinin. Evidence was given by qualitative methods, mass spectra and NMR. Citrinin, a nephrotoxic agent was produced both by Monascusputpureus and Monascus tuber, either in submerged culture of concentra- tions of 270 and 340 mg/l, respectively, or in solid state culture of concentration of 100 and 300 mg,/kg dried matter, respectively. Since citrinin is a toxic product, it is essential that the production of red pigments as food additives from Morwscus spp. avoid the occurrence of citrinin. Keywonf-s: Monascus; Monascidin A, Citrinin 1. Introduction The fungal genus it4onascus was discovered by van Tieghem (1884) and was known in Europe as a contaminant on cereals, starch and silage. In Asia, Monascus is used to prepare red mold rice as a natural food coloring matter and also as a food disinfectant (Went, 1895). -- * Corresponding author. Tel. (33) 61559668. Fax. (33) 61559673. 016%1605/95/$09.50 0 1995 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved SSDI 0168-1605(94)00167-7