Japan focus: LC-Plasma’s approval in India, FFC export opportunities, Morinaga study findings, Kirin’s start-up fund and more
Postbiotic approval: Kirin subsidiary’s ingredient approved for use in foods, supplements in India
Kyowa Hakko Bio, a subsidiary firm of Kirin, says its postbiotics is now approved for use in general foods and health supplements in India.
The company received approval from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in August that IMMUSE, its proprietary Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (LC-Plasma) postbiotic, could be used in general foods and health supplements.
The postbiotic was approved under Food Safety and Standards (Approval for Non-Specified Food and Food Ingredients) Regulations, 2017.
‘Revive with exports’: Japanese associations gearing up for functional foods export opportunities
Several Japan health foods associations are gearing up for export opportunities for Foods with Function Claims (FFC), such as providing export consultation services and establishing networks with regional dietary supplement associations.
For example, Japan Health and Nutrition Food Association (JHNFA) has officially launched a consultation service for member companies that are experiencing export difficulties. It will help investigate the issues and offer advice on areas that could be improved.
Launched in 2015, the FFC sector is a major component of Japan’s health and nutrition industry today.
And the winners are…Check out who took the top prizes at the NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2023
The winners of NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2023, held to recognise the brightest and best in the nutrition industry across Asia-Pacific, were announced on the first evening of our Growth Asia Summit.
This year, we received a record number of entries, with more than 180 submissions spanning products, ingredients and initiatives being received.
Lactoferrin shown to support immune health via pDC activity – Morinaga-funded 12-week study
Taking 200mg of lactoferrin daily for 12 weeks has been shown to support immune function in healthy adults, a new study funded by Japanese firm Morinaga found.
The trial, conducted between August and November last year in Japan, found that lactoferrin supplementation could reduce respiratory symptoms through plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) activity, which have been shown in previous studies to function as ‘leaders’ in antiviral immunity.
Writing in Nutrients, the researchers said that respiratory symptoms such as runny nose and throat discomfort were significantly lower in the group that took lactoferrin, compared to the placebo group. Systemic symptoms, such as fever, were also fewer in the intervention group.
Fermenting growth: Kirin’s start-up fund to focus on strengthening capabilities in health sciences
Kirin is looking to back innovations in metabolic health, immunity and brain function, fermentation and microbiota control, and consumer health data technology through its startup innovation fund.
Kirin Health Innovation Fund made an investment July this year in Israeli start-up Meta Flow, that operates Lumen, a portable device to measure a user’s metabolic state through breathing.
Speaking to NutraIngredients-Asia, Kohzoh Fukaya, corporate venture capital manager from Kirin’s health science department, explained that it invested in Meta Flow because obesity is one of Kirin’s focuses.
