Effect of Tween on Monascus yellow pigment anabolic

Four kinds of Tween had been used to influence on Monascus yellow pigments and citrinin production by Monascus anka mutant and the results showed that intracellular Monascus yellow pigments production had been improved with 12.30% and 9.32% by adding Tween 20 and Tween 80, respectively, and elimination for citrinin production, but all was not obviously. On the contrary, As far as Tween 40 and Tween 60 were concerned, citrinin production had been increased with 111.36% and 317.44% and intracellular Monascus yellow pigments had been decreased with 8.33% and 15.23% by Monascus anka mutant, respectively. The results in this paper could provide theoretical explanation and technical reference for the monascus yellow pigments submerge production with industrial scale.