Biochemical aspects of red koji and tofuyo prepared using Monascus fungi

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 96; no. 1; pp. 49 - 60
• Main Authors: Yasuda, Masaaki, Tachibana, Shinjiro, Kuba-Miyara, Megumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-10-2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Asia; Aspartic proteinases; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Enzymes; Fermentation; Food; Food Microbiology; Food processing industry; Fungi; Glycoproteins; Hemoglobin; Life Sciences; Medicine; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Mini-Review; Monascus; Monascus - enzymology; Monascus - metabolism; Natural & organic foods; Oryza - metabolism; Oryza - microbiology; Oryza sativa; Peptides; Physical properties; Physiology; Proteins; Rice; Soy Foods - microbiology; Soy products; Soybeans; Studies; Vitaceae; Wines; Asia; Koji; Tofuyo; Fermented tofu; Aspartic proteinases; Carboxypeptidases
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-012-4300-0

Red koji or red mold rice is prepared by growing a genus
Monascus
on steamed rice. For centuries, it has been used in Asia for the production of fermented foods including red rice wine and fermented tofu. Although red koji is an important source of various hydrolytic enzymes critical for food fermentation, information on the enzymatic properties in red koji has been limited. Hydrolytic enzymes produced by
Monascus
fungi may play important roles in ripening of tofuyo (Japanese fermented tofu) regarding the chemical and physical properties of the product. This review provides an introduction of red koji, its properties, and the application of hydrolytic enzymes, especially aspartic proteinases and carboxypeptidases from
Monascus
fungi. We also describe tofuyo and a novel fermented soybean protein food using a microbial action originating from red koji.