MORINAGA-MILK-INDUSTRY
8.8.2024 20:01:28 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:2264), a leading Japanese dairy product company, today announced its proprietary probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 was approved by the National Health Commission (NHC) of the People’s Republic of China as a new food ingredient for use in infant and children foods (under the age of three) on 25 July, 2024. This approval marks a significant milestone for the company, making it the only Japanese firm to have three bifidobacteria strains registered for use in China’s infant and toddler food market1.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240808893280/en/
Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 is a unique probiotic strain of human-residential bifidobacteria (HRB) – bifidobacteria that naturally reside in the human gut – and is renowned for its ability to utilize human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) found in breast milk, significantly improving the intestinal environment of healthy full-term infants. (Graphic: Business Wire)
*1 Source: Public announcement published on the website of the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (August 5, 2024)
The newly registered Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 joins Morinaga Milk’s other approved strains, Bifidobacterium breve M-16V and Bifidobacterium longum BB536. All three strains are now permitted for use in foods for children under three years old in China, meeting the country's stringent nutritional and safety standards.
Expanding Global Presence
This approval aligns with Morinaga Milk’s 10-year vision to become a globally recognized company with a significant international presence. As part of this vision, the company aims to achieve a Global Business sales ratio of 15% or more by the fiscal year ending in March 2029. The approval of Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 represents a strategic step towards this goal, allowing Morinaga Milk to strengthen its bacteria business in the Chinese market, which accounts for more than 40% of the global formula milk market and is the second-largest supplement market worldwide2.
*2 Source: Survey by Euromonitor International (May 2024), based on retail sales prices
Health Benefits of Bifidobacterium infantis M-63
Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 is a unique probiotic strain of human-residential bifidobacteria (HRB) – bifidobacteria that naturally reside in the human gut – and is renowned for its ability to utilize human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) found in breast milk, significantly improving the intestinal environment of healthy full-term infants. With China's recent approval of HMO use in formula milk in October 20233, the combination of Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 and HMO is expected to support the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria, enhancing the development and health of infants and toddlers4.
*3 Source: National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, No. 8, 2023 (Sept. 22, 2023)
*4 Source: Mintel, “HMOs approval in China infant formula is a game changer” (Jan. 2024)
Probiotics strain of bifidobacteria registered as New Food Ingredients in China |
|
Strain |
Registration date |
Bifidobacterium breve M-16V Registered name: 短双歧杆菌 M-16V |
2016 |
Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum BB536 Registered name: 长双歧杆菌长亚种 BB536 |
2022 |
Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis M-63 Registered name: 长双歧杆菌婴儿亚种M-63 |
2024 |
* All three strains are approved for use in foods for infants and toddlers under the age of three. |
|
Commitment to Quality and Research
Morinaga Milk has been at the forefront of bifidobacteria research since discovering Bifidobacterium longum BB536 in 1969. The company leads globally in the number of clinical research papers on bifidobacteria, underlining its commitment to advancing scientific understanding and improving public health.
Future Prospects
The registration of Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 paves the way for its use in a wide range of products. Morinaga Milk plans to leverage this approval to expand collaborations with major formula milk manufacturers and promote supplements and other related products in China and globally. By providing accurate information on the benefits of Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 to consumers and partners, Morinaga Milk aims to enhance the health and nutrition of people worldwide.
About Morinaga Milk Industry
Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. is one of the leading dairy product companies in Japan, with over a century of history in harnessing the nutritional properties of dairy products and functional ingredients. Morinaga Milk is also a key global probiotics manufacturer that excels in innovative technology and offers a premium line of probiotics and functional ingredients worldwide. Since the 1960s, Morinaga Milk has been engaged in research on the safety, functional health benefits, and mechanisms of action of probiotic bifidobacteria to better understand their role in maintaining human health. For more information about Morinaga Human-Residential Bifidobacteria (HRB) probiotics, please visit us at https://morinagamilk-ingredients.com/.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240808893280/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Fortegra Completes Acquisition by DB Insurance29.5.2026 22:30:00 CEST | Press release
The Fortegra Group, Inc. ("Fortegra"), a global specialty insurance company, today announced the completion of its acquisition by DB Insurance Co., Ltd. ("DB"), one of Korea's leading property and casualty insurers. The transaction, announced on September 26, 2025, received all required regulatory and stockholder approvals. Fortegra will operate independently, maintaining its existing leadership team, distribution relationships, and underwriting discipline. Agents, distribution partners, and customers will continue to experience the service excellence that has defined the Fortegra experience. Richard Kahlbaugh, Chairman and CEO of Fortegra, said: "Every company eventually changes ownership. That is the nature of business. The closing of this acquisition is a starting point. As part of DB Insurance, Fortegra is positioned to expand our business geographically, enhance our capabilities and deepen our market presence in the US, Europe, the United Kingdom and Asia. Together, DB Insurance a
SINOVAC Receives Nasdaq Notification Regarding Late Filing of 2025 Annual Report29.5.2026 22:01:00 CEST | Press release
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (Nasdaq: SVA) (“SINOVAC” or the “Company”), a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, today announced that it received a notification letter dated May 20, 2026 (the “Notification Letter”), from Nasdaq Listing Qualifications (“Nasdaq”) stating that as of May 8, 2026, the Company had regained compliance with the periodic filing and interim financial requirements in Nasdaq Listing Rules 5250(c)(1) (the “Periodic Filing Rule”) and 5250(c)(2), as required by the Panel’s decision dated January 21, 2026. As previously disclosed on January 22, 2026, under the Panel’s decision, SINOVAC was required to, on or before May 11, 2026, demonstrate compliance with such Nasdaq Listing Rules by completing filings of its annual report for the year ended December 31, 2024, on Form 20-F and an interim balance sheet and income statement as of the end of its second quarter of 2025 on Form 6-K. The Company timely completed such filings as required by the Panel’s decision.
From Network Automation to Agentic NetOps: NetBrain Sets the Standard for Deploying AI in Network Operations29.5.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
Newest expansion of the NetBrain platform delivers Agent Skills, AI Path Doctor, MCP Server, and expanded cross-domain integrations, extending the agentic capabilities already running in production at hundreds of enterprises. NetBrain Technologies, Inc. today announced major new platform features that advance Agentic NetOps from an emerging category to operational reality. NetBrain's clients are already deploying agents that are diagnosing and remediating issues across complex multi-vendor enterprise networks. These new features further extend the platform with new agent tooling, cross-domain context, and open interfaces for the broader agentic enterprise. Early customer outcomes show the magnitude of the shift: A leading health insurer used NetBrain's Deep Diagnosis agent to diagnose and resolve a weeks old VPN connectivity issue in under five minutes. A large manufacturer resolved a critical device issue with a single prompt, isolating the root cause across the network path in under
Adtran resolves long-running patent litigation, reinforcing commitment to defend innovation29.5.2026 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
News summary: Non-practicing entity litigation continues to create costly, time-consuming pressure across the technology industry Adtran has reached a full settlement following counterclaims, with payment made to Adtran and all claims dismissed with prejudice Outcome reflects Adtran’s commitment to defend its innovations, customers and business against meritless patent assertions Adtran today announced it has resolved a patent litigation matter, resulting in a full settlement and dismissal of all claims with prejudice. The case, initiated in 2020 by a non-practicing entity asserting five patents, was transferred to the US District Court for the Northern District of Alabama in 2021 following a successful motion by Adtran. Adtran subsequently filed counterclaims, including bad-faith patent assertion under Alabama statutory law. The settlement includes payment to Adtran to resolve its counterclaims. Terms of the agreement remain confidential. “This outcome reflects a disciplined and consi
Meiji Seika Pharma Invests in GHIC’s Global Health Security Fund29.5.2026 13:00:00 CEST | Press release
Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and Representative Director: Toshiaki Nagasato) today announced that it has committed to invest in the Global Health Security Fund (GHSF), which is sponsored by Global Health Investment Corporation (GHIC), a New York-based nonprofit organization. Through this investment, Meiji Seika Pharma will support the acceleration of innovations addressing critical global health challenges, including pandemic preparedness and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). GHIC is a mission‑driven nonprofit organization that deploys private investment strategies to generate both global health impact and financial returns. GHIC recently closed its second fund in GHSF. With more than a decade of experience investing in the field of infectious disease, GHIC has contributed to addressing major global health challenges. Its portfolio companies have successfully commercialized more than a dozen products, collectively reaching over 600 million people wo
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom