Kojic acid with the chemical name 5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4-pyrone is produced by several species of fungi, especially Aspergillus oryzae, which has the Japanese common name koji. It is a by-product in the fermentation process of malting rice, for use in the manufacturing of sake, the Japanese rice wine. 13C-Labeling studies have revealed at least two pathways to kojic acid. Еще
