Red yeast rice fermentation by selected Monascus sp. with deep-red color, lovastatin production but no citrinin, and effect of temperature-shift cultivation on lovastatin production.

Monascus pilosus NBRC4520 was selected for functional fermented food inoculation for its high lovastatin and low citrinin production with a deep-red color. For koji (mold rice) with high lovastatin production, separation of the growth phase and lovastatin production phase by shifting the temperature from 30 to 23 degrees C increased lovastatin production by nearly 20 times compared to temperature-constant cultivation. In addition, citrinin was not produced even in the lovastatin production phase, although the pigment was increased. With temperature-shift cultivation, 225 microg lovastatin/g dry koji was produced in 14 days without citrinin.