Microalgae Euglena and "Midori Jiuqu" born from Jiuqu showed protein digestion in an environment that imitated the human stomach.

Euglena Co., Ltd.

　Euglena Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Mitsuru Izumo) is a collaborative research project with Professor Ichikawa of the National University Corporation Tsukuba University (President: Kyosuke Nagata, hereinafter "University of Tsukuba").  ^{A unique new material "Midori Koji" * 1} developed from algae Euglena (Japanese name: Euglena, hereinafter "Euglena") and Koji is a protein in an environment that imitates the human stomach. It was confirmed that it shows the digestive effect of. The results of this research were announced at the "21st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Food Engineering" (held from August 7 to 19, 2020  ^{* 2}).
* 1 The product name that utilizes Midori Jiuqu is written as "Midori Jiuqu". News release on July 12, 2018 https://www.euglena.jp/news/20180712-2/
* 2 The 21st (2020) Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Food Engineering was held in an online presentation format using a web page to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

■ Purpose of research
　 Digestive enzymes contained in food materials and fermenting bacteria  ^{* 3} Is used as a gastrointestinal drug that helps digestion. So far, Euglena when making Jiuqu to make Jiuqu.  ^{* 4} We confirmed that this has the effect of drawing out the function of the koji, and named the koji produced by adding Euglena the new material "Midori Koji". As a result of research on "Midori Jiuqu" so far, it has been confirmed that it shows higher digestive enzyme activity than normal Jiuqu.  ^※Five..
　In this joint research, a human gastric digestion simulator that imitates the digestive environment of food in the human stomach such as peristalsis and low pH.  ^{* 6} Was used to evaluate the effect of "Midori Jiuqu" on the digestion of food in the stomach.
* 3 Enzyme is a substance that assists the metabolic reaction that occurs in the living body.
* 4 Jiuqu is the making of Jiuqu.
* 5 Released on July 12, 2018 https://www.euglena.jp/news/180712/
* 6 The human gastric digestion simulator is a digestion test device that imitates the chemical and physical digestive environment of food in the human stomach, such as simulating the peristaltic movement of the stomach wall.

■ Research content and results
"Midori Jiuqu" digests proteins contained in food in an environment that imitates the human stomach.

　In this study, we used tofu as a protein-rich food and conducted a digestion test using a human gastric digestion simulator. Tofu and artificial gastric juice  ^{* 7} The test was conducted with the one containing "Midori Jiuqu", the one containing tofu and artificial gastric juice with a commercially available gastrointestinal drug, and the one containing only tofu and artificial gastric juice without digestive enzymes. As a result, the rate of protein release into artificial gastric juice  ^{* 8} When "Midori Jiuqu" was added, it increased by 5.5 points compared to the control (Fig.). On the other hand, when gastrointestinal drug was added, it increased by 4.2 points from the control. From these results, "Midori Jiuqu" is expected to show a protein digestive effect equal to or better than that of gastrointestinal drugs.
* 7 An artificial gastric juice that imitates the acidic conditions of the stomach, which is equivalent to the first solution of the dissolution test in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia.
* 8 After the digestion test, the artificial gastric juice was filtered to determine the amount of protein released from the amount of nitrogen contained in the liquid fraction, which is a filtrate. The amount was divided by the total amount of protein in the tofu before the start of the digestion test to calculate the protein release rate into artificial gastric juice. The higher the amount of protein released, the more protein in the tofu has been digested.

Figure: Digestion test (A) of tofu using a human gastric digestion simulator
Effect of "Midori Jiuqu" on protein release rate from tofu (B)  ^{* 9}

* 9 Silk tofu cut into 5 mm squares was used as a model food containing a large amount of protein. In addition to tofu and artificial gastric juice, green koji powder or commercially available gastrointestinal drug was put into a container and a digestion test was conducted for 180 minutes.

　We will continue to work on research and development with the aim of clarifying the effectiveness and function of "Midori Jiuqu".

<About Midori Jiuqu>
Midori Jiuqu was Euglena and the AOK-139 strain, which is a unique aspergillus of Akita Konno Shoten Co., Ltd. Euglena to rice and Jiuqu bacteria to make Jiuqu has the effect of drawing out the function of Jiuqu, and it has been registered as a patented technology (Patent No. 6251436). ). It has been clarified that Midori Jiuqu contains more antioxidants than normal Jiuqu, and we are working on elucidating the physiological function and developing health foods that utilize that function. https://www.euglab.jp/midorikoji/

<About microalgae Euglena (Japanese name: Euglena)>
Euglena (Japanese name: Midorimushi) is a type of algae similar to wakame seaweed, kelp, and chlorella. It has the characteristics of both animals and plants, and has 59 types of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, etc. Contains well-balanced nutrients. Paramylon, which is a component unique to Euglena and is a type of β-glucan, has been studied for its functionality in recent years and is expected to be used in the healthcare field such as foods and cosmetics. The "Euglena for the body" series, which includes Euglena, captures the facts of the interrelationships of "malnutrition," "mental and physical fatigue," and "immunity weakness," and focuses on complex factors that hinder the foundation of health. doing. It is important to achieve sustainable health, not temporary, by maintaining the body's original cycle of "creating, working, and protecting" and improving it to a better state, regardless of factors that hinder the foundation of health. I think.

​ ​

-Contact for inquiries from the press-
Euglena Co., Ltd. Corporate Communication Division