Monascus pigments (MPs) as natural food colorants have been widely utilized in food industries in the world. Moreover, MPs possess a range of biological activities, such as anti-mutagenic and anticancer properties, antimicrobial activities, potential anti-obesity activities, and so on.
It is a mixture of azaphilones mainly composed of red, orange and yellow pigments, are usually prepared in aqueous ethanol and were monitored using UV-Vis spectroscopy.