The Nature of the Inhibitory Effect of Monascus Pigments on Bacteria of the Genus Clostridium
Public support
Provider
Czech Science Foundation
Programme
Standard projects
Call for proposals
SGA0202600001
Main participants
Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická v Praze / Fakulta potravinářské a biochemické technologie
Contest type
VS - Public tender
Contract ID
26-22059S
Alternative language
Project name in Czech
The Nature of the Inhibitory Effect of Monascus Pigments on Bacteria of the Genus Clostridium
Annotation in Czech
The project aims to lay the theoretical basis for replacement of nitrite salts or artificial dyes in food products with pigments produced by the fungus Monascus pilosus. M. pilosus, unlike the better known Monascus purpureus, lacks a biosynthetic cluster for production of mycotoxin citrinin. A complex extract of rice fermented by M. pilosus can prevent germination of Clostridium spores as well as inhibit growth of the vegetative cells. However, the nature of the antimicrobial effect of pigments has not yet been elucidated and pigments have usually been tested in complex mixtures. The project substance is to isolate pure pigments, find their inhibitory concentrations against a selected clostridial model and describe the inhibition through a model using omics data such as proteome, transcriptome, methylome and physiological traits obtained by flow cytometry under standard and inhibitory conditions. Optimal conditions will be found for production and isolation of pure pigments and the safety of the producer for food use will be confirmed by genome sequencing.
Scientific branches
R&D category
ZV - Basic research
OECD FORD - main branch
10606 - Microbiology
OECD FORD - secondary branch
20903 - Bioproducts (products that are manufactured using biological material as feedstock) biomaterials, bioplastics, biofuels, bioderived bulk and fine chemicals, bio-derived novel materials
OECD FORD - another secondary branch
21101 - Food and beverages
CEP - equivalent branches <br>(according to the <a href="http://www.vyzkum.cz/storage/att/E6EF7938F0E854BAE520AC119FB22E8D/Prevodnik_oboru_Frascati.pdf">converter</a>)
EE - Microbiology, virology<br>EI - Biotechnology and bionics<br>GM - Food industry
Solution timeline
Realization period - beginning
Jan 1, 2026
Realization period - end
Dec 31, 2028
Project status
Z - Beginning multi-year project
Latest support payment
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Data delivery to CEP
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data delivery code
CEP26-GA0-GA-R
Data delivery date
May 20, 2026
Finance
Total approved costs
15,760 thou. CZK
Public financial support
13,180 thou. CZK
Other public sources
2,151 thou. CZK
Non public and foreign sources
429 thou. CZK