Objectives and Overview

   The declining birthrate and aging population progress rapidly in Japan, and extending the healthy life span of the elderly and vulnerable people is a major issue in society. The purpose of this project is to maintain health by coexisting with bacteria that are attached to our body. Natural chemicals that inhibit the adhesion and growth of bacterial biofilms are identified from agricultural and forestry marine products and developed as health food, possibly as cosmetics etc. At present, useful substances are identified from a seaweed Codium fragile and mushroom Agaricus bisporus and fermented soybean food tempeh (patent registered and filed). One of them was put on the market as a product, but is currently discontinued for the right transfer. We are developing the food products containing these functional substances as "Food with Function Claims", and they are expected to prevent oral biofilm-related diseases such as aspiration pneumonia. This activity is contributing to extension of healthy life expectancy while maintaining biodiversity using agricultural, forestry and marine resources. 

Future plan　

   Establish intellectual property, which is one of the milestones of this project, and aim to launch and have these functional foods popular.