Monascus
Encyclopedia
Monascus is a genus of mold
. Among the 24 known species of this genus, the red-pigmented Monascus purpureus
is among the most important because of its use in the production of certain fermented foods in East Asia
, particularly China
and Japan
.
Mold
Molds are fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. Molds are not considered to be microbes but microscopic fungi that grow as single cells called yeasts...
. Among the 24 known species of this genus, the red-pigmented Monascus purpureus
Monascus purpureus
Monascus purpureus is a species of mold that is purplish-red in color...
is among the most important because of its use in the production of certain fermented foods in East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, particularly China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Species
- Monascus albidulus
- Monascus argentinensis
- Monascus aurantiacus
- Monascus barkeri
- Monascus bisporus
- Monascus eremophilus
- Monascus floridanus
- Monascus fuliginosus
- Monascus fumeus
- Monascus kaoliang
- Monascus lunisporas
- Monascus mucoroides
- Monascus olei
- Monascus pallens
- Monascus paxii
- Monascus pilosus
- Monascus pubigerus
- Monascus purpureusMonascus purpureusMonascus purpureus is a species of mold that is purplish-red in color...
- Monascus ruber
- Monascus rubropunctatus
- Monascus rutilus
- Monascus sanguineus
- Monascus serorubescens
- Monascus vitreus