R&D to deliver both tastiness and functionality

Our research and development efforts are conducted in two laboratories: the Food and Drink Development Laboratory, which explores the tastiness of foods including milk-based soft drinks, and the Functional Food and Drink Development Laboratory, where we are examining the health promoting effects of foods. Also, there is the Research and Development Planning Department to manage the activities of both laboratories to develop and drive the mid-and long-term R&D strategies.
One of our major focuses in our R&D activities is the pursuit of technologies on microorganisms including lactobacilli and fermentation that are accumulated over years starting from the development of CALPIS.
We are driving our R&D by focusing on a potential of useful microorganisms including lactobacilli and yeast to develop tasty drinks and foods and support human health.

The Food and Drink Development Laboratory has been working on research and development across a wide range of fields, from our milk-based soft drinks and fruit juices to alcohol beverages based on more than 90-year quest for tastiness, starting from the development of CALPIS and our proven know-how for creating rich flavors.
The Functional Food and Drink Development Laboratory exploit foods with evidence-based health benefits, such as Food for Specified Health Use (FOSHU), based on our nearly 40 years of studies into cultured milk and intestinal flora. It also introduces advanced technologies for evaluating the functionality of food ingredients.

The functional study originally started to reveal the power hidden behind CALPIS Cultured Milk

Our work to identify functions of foods began nearly 40 years ago with studies of CALPIS Cultured Milk. In the process, we showed its effects on prolonging lifetime, offering antitumor and immunostimulating effects, relieving stress, and improving memory and learning in mice.The discovery of Lactotripeptide (LTP) in CALPIS Cultured Milk in particular, which contributes to lowering blood pressure, led to the development of AMEAL S, a FOSHU.
Recently, we have discovered a beneficial vascular effect in LTP that has the potential of preventing arteriosclerosis.

To support the health of people today with help of useful microorganisms such as a lactobacilli

Calpis is also exploring the potential physiological functions of lactobacilli based on our unique microorganism library that consist of more than 2000 kinds of strains, including lactobacilli, and studies of intestinal flora.
We have discovered many useful lactobacilli and their cultured milk, the ones that have an anti-allergic, a skin-moisturizing, or a stress-relieving effect.
We will continue to address diverse contemporary health issues, including lifestyle-related disease, improvement in physical constitution and condition and anti-aging.