Monascus

Red Yeast Rice Mold

Monascus is a genus of filamentous fungi famous for its use in traditional Asian food fermentation, particularly in the production of 'red yeast rice' (Ang-kak). The genus is economically significant due to its production of secondary metabolites, including red pigments (azaphilones) and monacolins (such as monacolin K, identical to lovastatin). While historically placed in its own family (Monascaceae), recent multi-gene phylogenetic studies (Houbraken et al., 2020) have firmly placed it within Aspergillaceae.