LAUSR

Red mold rice (RMR), the fermented product of Monascus strains, also called Hongqu, red fermented rice (RFR), and red yeast rice (RYR), has been used as a food coloring agent, food preservative, and traditional medicine for about 2,000 years in China (Chen et al., 2015). There are also historical records regarding the use of RMR in other oriental countries (Chen et al., 2015). Due to regional and cultural differences, there are many other names for RMR, such as beni-koji, red koji, or anka in Japan and Rotschimmelreis in Europe (Chen et al., 2015). Although RMR has a long history of consumption, we didn’t know theMonascus strain until it was isolated from RMR in 1884 (Tieghem, 1884). Since then, scholars have gradually turned their attention toMonascus strain and its metabolic products (Patakova, 2013; Shao et al., 2014).Monascus species have great abilities to produce polyketides, such as well-knownMonascus azaphilone pigments (MonAzPs), monacolin K (MK), and citrinin. Genomic information mining shows thatMonascus spp. have great potential to produce multiple secondary metabolites (Chen et al., 2015), attracting more and more attention worldwide. Based on current progress of RMR andMonascus species, this opinion puts forward the issues that need to be further studied and discussed.