Research Progress on Secondary Metabolites in Monascus and Their Application in Dairy Products

Monascus spp. is a filamentous fungus that can produce beneficial secondary metabolites including Monascus pigments (MPs), monacolin K and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which possess the important biological activities such as acting as a colorant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammation agent. Therefore, Monascus is widely used in such industries such as foods, medicine and brewing. However, Monascus can produce citrinin with nephrotoxicity, which limits its application. In this review, we systematically summarize the latest research progress on the synthesis pathway, biological activity and synthesis regulation of MPs, monacolin K, GABA and citrinin, as well as the application of Monascus in dairy products. We hope that this review can provide new ideas for the safe development of dairy products fermented by Monascus.