kojic acid

noun

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.

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Meanings

nounkojic acid (uncountable)
  1. uncountablechemistryA 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.

Origin

From koji, the Japanese common name for Aspergillus oryzae, + -ic + acid.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German Kojisäure
  • Kojisäurechelation agent
Japanese 麹酸
  • 麹酸 (kōjisan)chelation agent
Cite this entry
APA

kojic acid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kojic%20acid

MLA

“kojic acid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kojic%20acid. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kojic acid,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kojic%20acid.

Source: kojic acid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.