CPHI Milan 2026: Fuji Chemical to present astaxanthin for children’s digital eye strain

At CPHI Milan next month, Fuji Chemical Industries is going to be presenting new clinical evidence on digital eye strain in children. It will spotlight natural astaxanthin from AstaReal, the company’s subsidiary, as a solution to this concern, along with health span applications.

Digital eye strain is increasingly becoming relevant as screen use now starts from a young age, Yumiko Kajiwara, the company’s manager for Marketing G and Life Science Sales G, International Sales & Marketing, tells Nutrition Insight.

“At CPHI, we will share findings from our published pediatric clinical study conducted in India, together with a six-month study conducted in Malaysia that further supported the findings from the Indian study and is now being prepared for publication. The published Indian study showed that AstaReal Natural Astaxanthin supported both chronic and acute digital eye strain, as well as aspects of visual performance in children aged 10 to 14.”

“We will also introduce a broader perspective on health span in response to the growing global interest in longevity,” she shares. “Rather than focusing only on living longer, we are exploring how astaxanthin may help support health and function across different stages of life, backed by our extensive body of human clinical research.”

Mitochondrial health and GLP-1 

Kajiwara reflects on what has changed since last year’s show, pointing out the growing awareness of mitochondrial health among consumers and within the nutrition industry.

“Particularly with the increasing interest in longevity and health span, greater attention is being paid to ingredients that can support healthy mitochondrial function. We therefore expect more questions about how astaxanthin may fit into this emerging area.”

Fuji Chemical will present a six-month study conducted in Malaysia that supports the findings from the Indian study on AstaReal astaxanthin.“Another rapidly emerging area is GLP-1 companion nutrition,” she adds. “With the global growth in the use of GLP-1 medications, we are seeing increasing interest in nutritional strategies that may help address some of the health and nutritional challenges associated with their use. We expect this to be another important topic of discussion with customers at CPHI.”

Strongest evidence behind AstaReal Natural Astaxanthin 

According to Kajiwara, astaxanthin is Fuji Chemical Industries’ key focus for nutrition because of its strong evidence based on a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 64 children aged 10 to 14 in India with substantial screen exposure.

“After 84 days of supplementation with 4 mg of AstaReal Natural Astaxanthin per day, the study showed significant improvements in chronic and acute digital eye strain, together with improvements in objective measures of visual performance,” she details.

“Importantly, some of the benefits were still continuing to develop at the end of the 84-day study rather than reaching a clear plateau. To explore this further, we subsequently conducted a six-month pediatric study in Malaysia, which further supported the findings from the Indian study. We are now preparing these results for publication.”

Kajiwara says that the evidence was analyzed carefully to prevent overinterpretation, while further research will bring deeper insight into learning how broadly the findings can be applied to different pediatric populations.

Opportunities in markets and categories

Fuji Chemical Industries is encountering strong growth in opportunities in Asia, specifically Southeast Asia and India. Meanwhile, demand markets like the US, Japan, and Europe remain established, adds Kajiwara.

“In terms of product formats, the market is becoming more diverse. Traditional soft capsules and capsules remain important, but we are seeing growing interest in more consumer-friendly formats such as gummies, powder drinks, jelly sticks, and beverages. This is also creating greater demand for formulation technologies that can maintain astaxanthin stability across different applications.”

Fuji Chemical Industries is encountering strong growth in opportunities in Asia, specifically Southeast Asia and India.“From a category perspective, eye health, skin health, active nutrition, and healthy aging remain important, while the growing focus on longevity and health span is opening broader opportunities. We are also seeing emerging interest in areas such as GLP-1 companion nutrition, as brands look for new ways to respond to evolving consumer health needs,” details Kajiwara.

Not all astaxanthins are the same

Reflecting on one of the biggest challenges in the astaxanthin category, Kajiwara points out that not all astaxanthin ingredients are the same — and that this is not well understood in the market. She notes that differences in quality, formulation, and scientific evidence all play a role.

“As the category becomes more competitive, it is increasingly important to look beyond astaxanthin simply as a commodity and consider the quality and consistency of the ingredient, the depth of human clinical evidence, and how well it can be formulated into different product formats.”

“For us, the challenge is also an opportunity: to continue building strong science while helping product developers translate that evidence into credible, differentiated products that deliver meaningful benefits to consumers,” concludes Kajiwara.