Japan focus: Insights from Lonza, Mitsubishi, Meiji

Lifestyle movement: Lonza Japan expands UC-II knee claims following positive trial findings​​

Lonza has obtained its second Food with Function Claim (FFC) for its flagship ingredient UC-II.

The claim is around supporting knee movements in activities such as climbing the stairs, squatting, and picking up items from the floor.

The first claim was for “the improvement of knee extension (range of motion of the knee joint).”

‘Now is the time’: Moderna co-founder and nutra experts on why delivery system innovation is key for industry growth​

Breakthrough in delivery system technologies is crucial to drive innovation in the traditional vitamin and minerals category, as well as the booming probiotics, functional food and beverage sectors.

This is according to a raft of industry players, including a co-founder of Moderna who has also been working on nutrient delivery systems in the supplement and food industries via the firm VitaKey Inc – which is working with New Zealand’s dairy firm Fonterra on probiotics delivery systems.

India’s Wellbeing Nutrition has also pointed out the importance of sustained nutrients release, which will be highlighted in this series of VitamINSIGHTS.

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Ageing impact: NMN supplementation increases NAD levels in healthy subjects - Japan RCT​

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NNM) supplementation has shown to be a safe way to boost nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) level in the body, according to a study funded by Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences.

Fifteen healthy volunteers received 250 mg/day of NMN or placebo for 12 weeks, and physiological and laboratory tests were performed during this period.

Findings of the study were published in Frontiers in Nutrition.​

China approves Morinaga’s Bifidobacterium strain for use in infant and toddler foods ​ 

China has approved Bifidobacterium longum ​subsp.longum ​BB536 – a flagship probiotics ingredient of Japanese firm Morinaga Milk – for use in infant and toddler foods.

It was only last year that the Bifidobacterium longum ​subsp.longum ​species was approved for use in food. Prior to that, it was Bifidobacterium longum ​that was approved.

China’s Food Safety Standards and Monitoring and Evaluation department under the National Health Commission (NHC) made the announcement​ this month, following a one-month public consultation last November. 

Meiji expands infant formulas range in Cambodia to speed up growth in SEA​

Meiji is expanding its infant formulas offerings in Cambodia as part of the company’s strategy in growing its overseas business in South East Asia.

Two products have been launched in May, namely Meiji Hohoemi Infant Formula for babies age zero to one, and Meiji Step Growing Up Formula 800g for babies age one to three.

The company has been expanding its infant formula business in South East Asia. An example is its re-entry into the Thai market with the product EZcube.​