A Review of Red Yeast Rice, a Traditional Fermented Food in Japan and East Asia: Its Characteristic Ingredients and Application in the Maintenance and Improvement of Health in Lipid Metabolism and the Circulatory System

Red yeast rice has been used to produce alcoholic beverages and various fermented foods in China and Korea since ancient times; it has also been used to produce <i>tofuyo</i> (Okinawan-style fermented tofu) in Japan since the 18th century. Recently, monacolin K (lovastatin) which has cho...

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Main Authors: Hiroyuki Fukami, Yuki Higa, Tomohiro Hisano, Koichi Asano, Tetsuya Hirata, Sansei Nishibe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/6/1619
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spelling doaj-1e5ab6c4264248309975d8246e3cfa382021-03-16T00:01:02ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492021-03-01261619161910.3390/molecules26061619A Review of Red Yeast Rice, a Traditional Fermented Food in Japan and East Asia: Its Characteristic Ingredients and Application in the Maintenance and Improvement of Health in Lipid Metabolism and the Circulatory SystemHiroyuki Fukami0Yuki Higa1Tomohiro Hisano2Koichi Asano3Tetsuya Hirata4Sansei Nishibe5Central R&D Laboratory, KOBYASHI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ibaraki 567-0057, JapanCentral R&D Laboratory, KOBYASHI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ibaraki 567-0057, JapanCentral R&D Laboratory, KOBYASHI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ibaraki 567-0057, JapanCentral R&D Laboratory, KOBYASHI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ibaraki 567-0057, JapanCentral R&D Laboratory, KOBYASHI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ibaraki 567-0057, JapanFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Ishikari 061-0293, JapanRed yeast rice has been used to produce alcoholic beverages and various fermented foods in China and Korea since ancient times; it has also been used to produce <i>tofuyo</i> (Okinawan-style fermented tofu) in Japan since the 18th century. Recently, monacolin K (lovastatin) which has cholesterol-lowering effects, was found in some strains of <i>Monascus</i> fungi. Since statins have been used world-wide as a cholesterol-lowering agent, processed foods containing natural statins are drawing attention as materials for primary prevention of life-style related diseases. In recent years, large-scale commercial production of red yeast rice using traditional solid-state fermentation has become possible, and various useful materials, including a variety of monascus pigments (polyketides) that spread as natural pigments, in addition to statins, are produced in the fermentation process. Red yeast rice has a lot of potential as a medicinal food. In this paper, we describe the history of red yeast rice as food, especially in Japan and East Asia, its production methods, use, and the ingredients with pharmacological activity. We then review evidence of the beneficial effects of red yeast rice in improving lipid metabolism and the circulatory system and its safety as a functional food.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/6/1619red yeast rice<i>Monascus</i> fungisolid-state fermentationmonacolinstatinLDL-cholesterol
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Hiroyuki Fukami
Yuki Higa
Tomohiro Hisano
Koichi Asano
Tetsuya Hirata
Sansei Nishibe
spellingShingle Hiroyuki Fukami
Yuki Higa
Tomohiro Hisano
Koichi Asano
Tetsuya Hirata
Sansei Nishibe
A Review of Red Yeast Rice, a Traditional Fermented Food in Japan and East Asia: Its Characteristic Ingredients and Application in the Maintenance and Improvement of Health in Lipid Metabolism and the Circulatory System
Molecules
red yeast rice
<i>Monascus</i> fungi
solid-state fermentation
monacolin
statin
LDL-cholesterol
author_facet Hiroyuki Fukami
Yuki Higa
Tomohiro Hisano
Koichi Asano
Tetsuya Hirata
Sansei Nishibe
author_sort Hiroyuki Fukami
title A Review of Red Yeast Rice, a Traditional Fermented Food in Japan and East Asia: Its Characteristic Ingredients and Application in the Maintenance and Improvement of Health in Lipid Metabolism and the Circulatory System
title_short A Review of Red Yeast Rice, a Traditional Fermented Food in Japan and East Asia: Its Characteristic Ingredients and Application in the Maintenance and Improvement of Health in Lipid Metabolism and the Circulatory System
title_full A Review of Red Yeast Rice, a Traditional Fermented Food in Japan and East Asia: Its Characteristic Ingredients and Application in the Maintenance and Improvement of Health in Lipid Metabolism and the Circulatory System
title_fullStr A Review of Red Yeast Rice, a Traditional Fermented Food in Japan and East Asia: Its Characteristic Ingredients and Application in the Maintenance and Improvement of Health in Lipid Metabolism and the Circulatory System
title_full_unstemmed A Review of Red Yeast Rice, a Traditional Fermented Food in Japan and East Asia: Its Characteristic Ingredients and Application in the Maintenance and Improvement of Health in Lipid Metabolism and the Circulatory System
title_sort review of red yeast rice, a traditional fermented food in japan and east asia: its characteristic ingredients and application in the maintenance and improvement of health in lipid metabolism and the circulatory system
publisher MDPI AG
series Molecules
issn 1420-3049
publishDate 2021-03-01
description Red yeast rice has been used to produce alcoholic beverages and various fermented foods in China and Korea since ancient times; it has also been used to produce <i>tofuyo</i> (Okinawan-style fermented tofu) in Japan since the 18th century. Recently, monacolin K (lovastatin) which has cholesterol-lowering effects, was found in some strains of <i>Monascus</i> fungi. Since statins have been used world-wide as a cholesterol-lowering agent, processed foods containing natural statins are drawing attention as materials for primary prevention of life-style related diseases. In recent years, large-scale commercial production of red yeast rice using traditional solid-state fermentation has become possible, and various useful materials, including a variety of monascus pigments (polyketides) that spread as natural pigments, in addition to statins, are produced in the fermentation process. Red yeast rice has a lot of potential as a medicinal food. In this paper, we describe the history of red yeast rice as food, especially in Japan and East Asia, its production methods, use, and the ingredients with pharmacological activity. We then review evidence of the beneficial effects of red yeast rice in improving lipid metabolism and the circulatory system and its safety as a functional food.
topic red yeast rice
<i>Monascus</i> fungi
solid-state fermentation
monacolin
statin
LDL-cholesterol
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/6/1619
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