Release meeting for a new vegetable-origin functional food ingredient "Rice Kefiran

Release meeting for a new vegetable-origin functional food ingredient "Rice Kefiran"

Daiwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan - President: Yasuo Ninomiya) held a release meeting of a newly developed functional food ingredient, “Rice Kefiran” at Tokyo International Forum (Tokyo, Japan) on June 28^th, 2006.

“Rice Kefiran” is Daiwa's 3^rd main product following “BioBran” and “NKCP.” The research and development of Rice Kefiran were conducted as a development project of multidimensional-application technology for carbohydrates based on carbohydrate engineering, subsidized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. Daiwa carried on this research for 5 years under the guidance of Tomotari Mitsuoka, professor emeritus of the University of Tokyo, who is a world leader in intestinal flora research. There is a high degree of interest in our achievement of culturing L. kefiranofaciens singly, which was a huge challenge.

Rice Kefiran is a vegetable product produced by a specific lactobacillus called LK-Lactobacillus from Kefir, a fermented milk originating in the Caucasus region, which is famous for longevity, using the Japanese traditional food rice as a nourishment source. The very unique point is that it has a high concentration of a useful component called “kefiran,” which is a viscous polysaccharide.

Nearly 100 people including researchers, development representatives of manufacturing companies, and drug and food representatives of trading companies gathered at the meeting. At the beginning, president Ninomiya spoke about Daiwa's attitude to give the top priority to safety and evidence and the expanding sales market in 38 countries. Then he introduced the development background of “Rice Kefiran.”

DAg. Tomotari Mitsuoka, the keynote speaker, talked about “The usefulness of Rice Kefiran as a food ingredient.” After going over the history and the characteristics of traditional fermented milk kefir, he explained about the establishment of the single culture ofＬ.kefiranofaciens with rice medium and efficient kefiran production methods. Studies in rats and mice showed that kefiran has various functions such as a hypotensive action and control of the intestinal function. He concluded that kefiran is a useful food ingredient for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.

A special lecturer, Dr. Yoshio Ikeda (the director of the Japan Preventive Association of Lifestyle-related Disease) gave a presentation entitled “Prevention of metabolic syndrome and prospect of Rice Kefiran.” He explained the value of “Rice Kefiran” as a water-soluble fiber-like food to prevent metabolic syndrome. Another special lecturer Professor Shinichi Kitamura (Osaka Prefecture University Graduate School) spoke about “Lactobacillus-produced Polysaccharide, Kefiran” and reported on the biosynthetic mechanism analysis. He concluded that the next goal is to improve productivity.

　We received many questions at the Q and A session as well as at the buffet party afterwards, showing that our new ingredient is drawing a great deal of attention. The meeting was a smashing success.

　Daiwa has already started on the commercialization of “Rice Kefiran.” We intend to broaden the market for “Rice Kefiran” as an ingredient added to foods and drinks.

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