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This article is part of Life Sciences Review's Innovation Insights series featuring expert contributions nominated by our subscribers and reviewed by our editorial team.
Professor Keiji Terao is president and CEO of CycloChem Bio Co., Ltd. and holds a Doctor of Engineering from Kyoto University. He has served as a visiting professor at Kobe University, Kobe Women’s University, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and the National University of Mongolia. He currently chairs the Cyclodextrin Society.
Right now, the focus of my work is on the “Fresh Oligo Powder” technology, which uses the encapsulation and stabilization functions of α-CD to turn natural materials into powders without losing their inherent benefits. Traditional powder-making methods, like spray-drying, have major problems such as the deactivation of active ingredients due to high heat and the deterioration of flavor from oxidation. Our “Fresh Oligo Powder” technology makes full use of α-CD’s function as a “molecular capsule,” encapsulating the active ingredients of the target material inside invisible nano-sized cavities (hosts), thoroughly protecting them from heat, light and oxygen.
For example, actinidin, a protein-degrading enzyme in kiwi fruit, is extremely delicate, but when encapsulated in α-CD and turned into fresh oligo powder, its activity is almost 100 percent maintained even after a year at room temperature. Highly volatile and unstable components like isothiocyanate (MTBI), a diet-related ingredient found in radish, can also be stably locked in using this technology.
Currently, in South Korea’s beauty and diet market, α-CD has gained attention for its slimming effects, with an annual demand of several hundred tons. However, our research shows that α-CD’s slimming effects are only effective in obese patients, so it’s likely to end as just a temporary trend. On the other hand, radish fresh powder (α-CD inclusion complex) has been shown to be effective not just for obese patients but also for people with slightly higher BMI, and it’s increasingly recognized in beauty-conscious South Korea as a new, excellent functional diet material that could replace α-CD.
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We want cycloencapsulation technology to deliver amazing materials from around the world in their ‘fresh’ state for people’s health.
Radish, peaches, apples, watermelons, olives, and other produce that don't meet standards, as well as peels and juice pulp that would normally be thrown away, can be turned into high-value functional materials using this technology. In Japan, we're taking regional resources that aren't used much and turning them into new powders with health benefits, creating a model that boosts agriculture while also tackling health issues. We hope to expand this effort throughout the Asia-Pacific region, and eventually, worldwide.
I truly believe that this “circular” business is the way functional food manufacturers should move forward. I also want this “cycloencapsulation” technology to deliver amazing materials from around the world in their “fresh” state for people’s health.
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The articles from these contributors are based on their personal expertise and viewpoints, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of their employers or affiliated organizations.
