2014-02-15

Rakuren 8020 Probiotic Yogurt

Rakuren, the product brand for Shikoku Dairy Cooperative, has conducted research in collaboration with Hiroshima University's Professor Hiroki Nikawa on the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus KO3 and found it has anti-caries (or anti-cavity) activity. Rakuren is selling yogurt and drink yogurt containing the probiotic branded as 8020, from the common name for the strain L8020. Although it does not look like an official health claim has been approved, a big, shiny tooth is shown on the package.

An oral health benefit for a probiotic is not surprising, but most companies put more effort into separating the product from the data for the ingredient in cases where an official claim has not been obtained. らくれん プロバイオ 歯周病

http://www.rakuren.co.jp/8020/lineup.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Suntory All-Free Non Alcoholic Beer

Suntory touts its All-Free non-alcoholic beer as the number 1 seller in this category. Non-alcoholic beers are cash cows for beer companies, because they are placed next to beer on the shelves, making them look cheap, when they are actually priced quite high. This product is called All-Free because it is alcohol-free, calorie-free and sugar-free. Interestingly, as I was searching for information on purines in relation to yesterday's post, I found an article claiming that non-alcoholic beers end up having higher purine content, so you get rid of one thing only to enrich something else you don't want. That is pertinent, because these non-alcoholic beers are popular among older and elderly people, the same people who might want to avoid developing gout.

The graph shows how the new formulation has improved: less off-taste, more beer-like, better after-taste, better mouth-feel, richer taste.

http://www.suntory.co.jp/beer/allfree/index.html?fromid=beer_top_pc

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.