桔霉素与红曲霉的安全性争议

Dispute about the Safety of Citrinin of Monascus

红曲霉能代谢生成天然红色素和多种生理活性物质而备受国际关注,但同时也发现其生长过程产生桔霉素。桔霉素是一种真菌毒素,作用的靶器官是肾脏,可以致畸、诱发肿瘤、突变等。红曲霉中桔霉素的发现使得我国的红曲产品的安全性引起争议。介绍了红曲中产生的桔霉素的理化性质、毒性、产生途径和检测方法等的研究现状,并就如何消除红曲中桔霉素提出了对策。

Monascus, as a physiologically active substance and an old-line fermentable epiphyte in China, has been studied widely for its natural pigments. However, citrinin, produced in the growth process ofmonascus, is a myeotoxin and will induce teratogenicity, carcinogenicity and mutagencity. Accordingly, the discovery of eitrinin in monascus brought tremendous dispute about the safety of red starter products. In this paper, the physical and chemical properties, the toxicological characteristics, the biosynthetic pathway and the detection method of citrinin produced in monascus were introduced and the relative counter measures to eliminate citrinin were also illustrated.