P41: Development of hypo-cholesterolemic Dried Distillers Grain with Solubles (DDGS) by Monascus purpureus secondary fementation

Developing healthy animal feeds that can reduce animal cholesterol and promote overall animal health can result in low fat, healthy animal products which can have a positive influence on human health. Whole stillage a co-product of corn ethanol fermentation is converted into dried distiller’s grain with solubles (DDGS) which is used only as animal feed. Since the U. S. is the world’s largest producer of corn ethanol, it also produces the highest amount of DDGS with estimated DDGS production of 38.25 million short tons in 2012-13. With an aim of developing nutraceutically-fortified livestock feed to promote animal health and consequently human health, the present study outlines the production of hypocholesterolemic or cholesterol-lowering-DDGS animal feed by red yeast, Monascus purpureus fermentation of whole stillage. M. purpureus is used in traditional fermented red mold rice (RMR) and is a known producer of cholesterol lowering monacolin (lovastatin), numerous pigments and anti-inflammatory compounds. Submerged fermentation of whole stillage by pigmented and non-pigmented M. purpureus resulted in production monacolin-K at 4.45 and 1.71 mg/g respectively. Nutritional compositional changes due to Monascus will be discussed. Since 2, 5 and 8% supplementation of RMR with effective monacolin K concentrations of 0.145mg/g, 0.35mg/g and 0.56mg/g reduce cholesterol in poultry, our hypocholesterolemic DDGS can be used in feed blends to provide the optimum daily dosage based on animal type and dietary needs.