Tags: Chemical Compound, Chemical Substance.
Kojic acid is a chelation agent produced by several species of fungi especially Aspergillus oryzae which has the Japanese common name koji. Kojic acid is a by-product in the fermentation process of malting rice for use in the manufacturing of sake the Japanese rice wine. It is a mild inhibitor of the formation of pigment in plant and animal tissues and is used in food and cosmetics to preserve or change colors of substances. It forms a bright red complex with ferric ions.