Daiwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Daiwa, president Mr. Y. Ninomiya) has been conducting a unique research programme with support from a project "to revitalize the food industry and to create new businesses through development of new technologies (The project name is still to be finalized.)" of FY 2000."

In the project, a budget is applied to a subject of study or a corporation which the Ministry has approved. It is a technology R & D project termed a feasibility study. It is second time that Daiwa has received a grant from the Ministry.

The subject to be studied is "the development of food containing autochthonous Bifidobacterium and research into a system for its supply."

The basis of the study is that intestinal flora have a close relationship to the maintenance and enhancement of human health, with the properties and number of bifid bacteria being crucial. For this purpose, it is proposed to supply bifid bacteria preparations and foods containing the bacteria. Many such products are now on the market. However, it is generally thought that intestinal colonization by bacteria supplied externally into the human body is unstable and that the bacteria thus replenished survive for only a short period of time.

The objective of this research is to isolate bifid bacteria from each individual's body and to preserve them in advance; depending on need, they can then be grown so as to provide foods containing tailor-made bifid bacteria for respective individuals. A system covering these steps is being developed.

Currently public interest in intestinal flora and health, and particularly in the properties of bifid bacteria, is increasing year on year. Considerable expectations for this project has been expressed from various sectors as one of the responses to current needs.

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