Edible Fungus May Ease Vitamin A Deficiency

WASHINGTON, D.C.The edible fungus Monascus purpureus imparts a distinct flavor and red color when added to fermented rice dishes, such as those served in Asia. Now, with "a helping hand" from science, the fungus could offer a way to address a major public health concern: vitamin A deficiency (VAD). VAD is a leading cause of preventable blindness and increases the risk of illness and death from severe infections such as diarrheal disease.
Vitamin A deficiency is especially acute in Africa and Southeast Asia, according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) geneticist Daniel Skinner. His idea was to combat this by replacing pigment-producing genes of Monascus with two from another species that makes beta-carotene, which the human body readily converts to vitamin A. If this could be accomplished, the beta-carotene-producing strain could be substituted for the one now used in Asian foods, thus offering a way to address VAD in people en masse.
Skinner and his colleagues used a gene gun to fire two copies of beta-carotene genes from the fungus Blakeslea trispora into the DNA of Monascus, enabling it to make the orange-colored pigment. The researchers believe the modified Monascus can produce about as much beta-carotene as a carrot, under the right growth conditions. Skinner began researching the strategy in 2002 as part of a broader program to improve wheat's productivity and quality for domestic food use and export.