Kerry, one of the world leaders in taste and nutrition, has announced a new commercial agreement with Japan-based Kameda Seika to market and distribute the company’s rice-derived postbiotic exclusively in America and Europe across a range of applications.

Kameda Seika is one of the leading global rice cracker companies with decades of rice research experience. Kameda has extensively researched rice-based lactobacillus for over 25 years and has accumulated several health claims. Kameda’s postbiotic Lactobacillus K-1 (Lactobacillus casei subsp, 327) has been scientifically proven to improve both digestive and skin health and can be used in a variety of food, beverages, and supplements. Kerry will drive the commercialization of this new technology to reach consumers outside of Japan by leveraging the full breadth of the company’s technology portfolio, application expertise, and commercial footprint.

Commenting on the new agreement, Dan Benson, applied health and nutrition lead, Kerry APMEA, said, "As lifespans increase globally, the search is on to find innovative and sustainable solutions which will help consumers to stay active and healthy for as long as possible. This new postbiotic is a premium science-backed ingredient that builds on our core strengths in digestive and immune health. We are excited by the opportunity to incorporate this premium postbiotic into our growing portfolio of science-backed branded ingredients, which includes solutions to improve digestive, immune, cognitive, infant, and women’s health."

Commenting on the agreement, Lekh Juneja, chairman and chief executive officer, Kameda Seika said, "We are very pleased to partner with Kerry, a world leader in the development of taste and nutrition solutions for the food, beverage, and supplement markets. Kerry is an ideal partner for Lactobacillus K-1 (Lactobacillus casei subsp, 327), with Kerry’s deep expertise in science-backed branded ingredients, including probiotics and postbiotics, their footprint and their presence of dedicated Kerry innovation and application centers of excellence across the globe. We are extremely proud of the development of the Lactobacillus K-1 (Lactobacillus casei subsp, 327), which has already demonstrated many health benefits in clinical trials. We look forward to this partnership with Kerry, who will bring this postbiotic to a much larger global audience."

Postbiotics are the metabolic by-products of fermentation. Offering similar benefits to probiotics and backed by growing clinical evidence, they present an attractive option for manufacturers seeking out heat and acid-stable health-enhancing ingredients. Consumer demand for postbiotics is also on the rise, driven by an interest in innovative food, beverages, and supplements that support health and wellness.

Kameda’s rice-derived Lactobacillus K-1 (Lactobacillus casei subsp, 327) postbiotic has been scientifically proven in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled to improve digestive health. Results are further supported by additional scientific data confirming improvements in gut and skin health.