Kojic acid is a pyranone that is 4H-pyran substituted by a hydroxy group at position 5, a hydroxymethyl group at position 2 and an oxo group at position 4.
Kojic acid is a chelation agent derived from some fungal species such as, Aspergillus, Acetobacter and Penicillium.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.