本試驗乃利用monacolin K產量高、低citrinin之紅麴菌株Monascus purpureus NTU 301為菌元，進行紅麴發酵乾酪之製造，並探討熟成期間其組成之變化。本試驗使用酸凝固方式製成凝乳塊混合紅麴菌液，置於30℃ ，相對濕度85%，10天製得紅麴乾酪。首先比較凝乳塊混合10與20% (v/w) 紅麴菌液之乾酪。添加20%紅麴菌液之乾酪的熟成率增至42.4%，比添加10%之紅麴乾酪熟成率高出一倍以上。水分皆隨著熟成期間而逐漸減少，添加10%之紅麴乾酪，在熟成10天後含水量減少至20.46%，在第八日後，破斷強度超過1000 g/cm2，為超硬質乾酪。綜觀之，添加20%紅麴菌液之乾酪較符合本試驗之目的，故以此添加比率製作紅麴乾酪，並進一步測定其熟成期間之變化。由SDS-PAGE可觀察出紅麴乾酪之β-酪蛋白於第六週起已開始水解，對照組無改變，由此可得知紅趜菌之酸性蛋白酶對β-酪蛋白具水解作用。藉掃描電子顯微鏡觀察乾酪表面之微細構造，發現熟成期間 (零-五週) 表面質地漸趨緊密，且較對照組更為緊密，顯示紅麴乾酪蛋白質已充分被水解。黴菌數於熟成三~六日快速生長達顯著差異 (p < 0.05)，由酸性蛋白酶分解活性的測定，可知熟成四~六天活性顯著上升，而在第八天達最高活性224 unit/mL，與菌數測定結果相符合。本試驗所得之紅麴乾酪，除賦予美麗的外觀且有濃郁紅麴甘醇風味，並含monacolin K，可謂具有東方傳統口味之新式乾酪。

The Monascus purpureus NTU 301, which produces high amount of monacolin K, and low amount of citrinin was used as the starter to produce Monascus-fermented cheese (MFC) in this study. Milk coagulated by acid coagulation method was inoculated with M. purpureus NTU 301 spore suspension. The mixture was then ripened for 10 days at 30℃ , RH 85% to produce MFC. Cheese made with two spore concentration,10% and 20%, was evaluated. After ripening for 10 days, the ripening ratio of the cheese made with 20%
spore suspension increased to 42.4%, which is twice the ripening ratio of the cheese made with 10% spore suspension. Moisture content decreased with ripening days as the cheese made with 10% spore suspension
decreased to 20.46%, and its breaking intension is over 1000 g/cm2, which is too hard for direct consumption.The results showed that cheese made with 20% spore suspension is more suitable. Therefore, further analysis
was conducted on the 20% spore suspension. In SDS-PAGE, β-casein of MFC was hydrolyzed after 6 weeks of ripening, but β-casein in the control had no change, which suggested that β-casein could be cleaved by protease
produced by M. purpureus. Scanning electron microscopy of the cheese showed that the microstructures of cheeses were packed intensively during 6 weeks of ripening, and that the microstructure of MFC was packed
more tightly than that of the control, which suggested that protein in the MFC was degraded more than that in the control. The mold counts increased rapidly especially from day 3 to day 6 (p < 0.05). Acid protease activity increased with ripening period, peaking at 224 units/mL on day 8. This is similar to previous studies. The final product contained 2.875 ppm of monacolin K and 0.0535 ppm of citrinin. In conclusion, this study was conducted to make a MFC that can supply unique flavor and color in order to develop a special cheese with Asian taste as well as functional properties.