Nutrition Improvement Projects in Ajinomoto Group

1
Nutrition Improvement Projects in Ajinomoto Group

• November 8, 2011
• Yasuhiko Toride, Ph.D.
• Director of Nutrition Improvement Projects
• Ajinomoto Co., Inc

2
Contents of Presentation

• Ghana Nutrition Improvement Project
• A trial to establish Social Business Model
• Research on Innovative biomarker for
  protein/amino acid nutrition
• PA / Artificial Underground Aquifer Project
• Evaluation of nutritional value of Bamboo shoot

3
Why Nutrition Improvement Project by Ajinomoto
Group?

• To promote healthy life is a mission of
  Ajinomoto Group.
• Eat Well, Live Well
• Ajinomoto can make unique contribution to
  nutrition improvement in developing countries
  through its expertise in Food Science, Amino
  Acid Nutrition. - Ajinomoto conducted
  nutritional studies on the use of amino acid
  (Lysine) in Pakistan, China, Syria, Bangladesh
  and Ghana since 1995

4
Social Business for Nutrition Improvement
Our definition of Social Business Sustainable
business which aims for solving social problems
in developing countries such as
Malnutrition Partnership Collaboration with
various social sectors such as academia, UN, NGO,
government, which share the same goal of solving
social problems
Creation of New Market
Nutrition Improvement
Income Generation
K.F.S.Key Factor for Success
Collaboration with various social sectors
Re-Investment
Sales
Production
RD
5
Nutrition Improvement Project in Ghana

• Republic of Ghana
• Area 238,537 sq km
• Population 23 million
• Capital Accra
• Independence March 1957

• Why the project in Ghana?
• Ghana is a center of the activities in West
  Africa for various social sectors, such as UN
  agencies, International NGOs etc.
• It is an ideal place to create Social Business
  model.

6
The development of Koko Plus a nutrition
supplement which can be mixed into traditional
complementary food made from fermented corn
dough, called KOKO
Preparation of KOKO
6
7
Complementary foods for infant aged 6 24
months as the Window of Opportunityfor
nutrition improvement
Data by Ghana Health Service
8
Nutritional supplement to fortify KOKO

• Feeding traditional KOKO can not satisfy
  nutritional requirement (protein, micronutrients)
  of children because it is made of only corn
  sugar.
• 1 package 16 gram of the supplement to be added
  for 1 day consumption of KOKO (60 gram dry
  weight).
• The supplement contains locally produced soybean
  powder and palm oil, sugar, L-Lysine (essential
  amino acid) and micronutrient premix (Vitamin A,
  Folic acid, .Iron, Zinc etc.)and flavors
• By adding the supplement, the fortified KOKO can
  satisfy the nutritional recommendation by WHO.

9
A joint project among 3 parties (University of
Ghana, Nevin Scrimshaw International Nutrition
Foundation and Ajinomoto) was launched in
December 2009
Kick off Technical Symposium at University of
Ghana
10
Schedule of the project

• Phase 1 (2009 - 2010)
• Development of the product
• Market survey
• Establish collaboration with Ghana Health
  Service, NGOs
• Phase 2 (2010 - 2012)
• Efficacy, Effectiveness studies with prototype
  product samples
• Test marketing
• Preparation for large scale production and
  launching
• Phase 3 (2012 - 2013)
• Start commercial production sales in Ghana
• Preparation of launching in other West African
  countries (Phase 4)
• Establish improved Soybean Value Chain for
  better production

10
11
Home Fortification(Point of Use Fortification)
Nutrition Supplement to be added when mothers
prepare KOKO at home
11
12
Sensory tests to develop a locally acceptable
product conducted by University of Ghana
13
Public-Private-Partnership under US-Japan
Collaboration Scheme
JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)
USAIDUS Agency for International Development
GDA(Global Development Alliances) Collaboration
in Developing sustainable delivery ModelDevel
oping soybean value chain
A New P-P-P scheme Preparatory Survey for BOP
business promotion, Fund for efficacy,
effectiveness studies.
14
Collaboration with International NGOsin
developing Delivery System

• How to deliver Nutritional Product to the
  target population is a crucial issue. How to
  manage Last mile delivery in a sustainable way
• Application of Network of Sales Ladieseg.
  Experiences in CARE BangladeshHub ?Sales women
  with a basket of product to deliver to women at
  home
• To study developing networks based on VSLA
  (Village Saving Loan Association) developed by
  NGOs in Ghana
• Developing Network of Sales Ladies would also
  contribute to generating income and empowering
  women in the rural areas.

15
Collaboration with GAIN(Global Alliance for
Improved Nutrition)

1. GAIN has decided to participate in the project
   especially in, Monitoring Evaluation (ME) of
   the Delivery system by providing us with their
   expertise in ME with the funding for the
   activity of our partner NGO (CARE)
2. The goal of Collaboration is to create
   Sustainable Business model which can contribute
   to nutrition improvement of children

16
Innovative Biomarker for Protein/Amino Acid
Nutrition
Wistar rat 570 protein diet was given in each
rat
This correlation was associated with amount of
dietary protein
Wistar rat 1) Casein (CA20) 2) cornmeal (CM) 3)
CM soy protein (CMS) 4) CMS Lys (CMSK) 70
restriction for 3 weeks
Change in plasma amino acids is sensitive to
quality of dietary protein
17
Participation in PA / Artificial Underground
Aquifer Project in China - Nutritional Value of
Bamboo Shoots

• Good Source of Protein / Amino Acid