The story
From koji, the Japanese common name for Aspergillus oryzae, + -ic + acid.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
kojic acid
Today it means: A chelation agent, 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4H-pyran-4-one, produced by several species of fungus, especially Aspergillus oryzae, and used in the manufacture of saké and in food preservation. Full definition →