J-Oil Mills taps into global vitamin K2 market as demand picks up

09 Nov 2021 --- The vitamin K2 market has welcomed a new product called Menatto. Touted as “The Japanese Original,” the vitamin is produced by J-Oil Mills, a nutra food ingredient manufacturer specializing in edible oils. 

“Developed through a natural fermentation process, Menatto is the genuine Japanese vitamin K2 (MK-7),” says Hikaru Asari, senior executive, fine materials department and food and fine materials business unit for J-Oil Mills, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. 

Menatto is made from a bacterial strain isolated from the traditional fermented Japanese food natto. It has been thoroughly researched in Japan for its health properties.

“Menatto is backed by ten well-controlled human clinical trials, all published in peer-reviewed scientific journals,” continues Asari. “The ingredient is supported by original clinical research and a suite of intellectual property, including three international product usage patents and a Japanese process patent and trademarks.”

Menatto has been developed by a natural fermentation process.The ingredient has several condition-specific uses supported by original research. These include bone health, heart health, joint health, healthy blood coagulation and beauty and skin care. 

Demand for K2 gathers pace
Menatto is the original fermented vitamin K2 and has been incorporated into finished products across the globe for more than 20 years, emphasizes Dr. Toshiro Sato, director of the vitamin K2 study group in Japan and senior manager of R&D for J-Oil Mills. 

“Overall, vitamin K2 has gained much attention, and the opportunity to market it is more robust than ever,” Dr. Sato outlines. “It is stepping into the mainstream of health-consciousness, joining vitamins A, C, E and D, in many retail brands.” 

Menatto is manufactured in a GMP and ISO 22000-certified facility in Japan and has achieved self-affirmed GRAS and novel food status, allowing for its use in foods and beverages, conventional tablets, capsules and gummies.

Menatto is available as vitamin K2 (MK-7) Oil 1500 and as vitamin K2 (MK-7) powder 1000/2000.

J-Oil Mills’ product line includes hundreds of offerings, including oils and fats, processed oils and fats, foodstuffs such as starches and soy and micronutrients for nutritional supplements and functional foods.

Prevention is better than cure
Vitamin K2 has previously been spotlighted for a host of benefits. Vitamin K2 has previously been spotlighted for a host of benefits, including reducing cardiovascular oxidative stress and its role in COVID-19 immunity.

In July, a study backed by NattoPharma revealed that Vitamin K2 could reduce cardiovascular oxidative stress and vascular calcification caused by nicotine intakes, such as that from cigarettes or e-cigarettes.

In the same month, the company highlighted vitamin K2 as a potential method for Alzheimer’s disease “prevention.”

Meanwhile, vitamin K2 also emerged “as one of the most important supplemental nutrients,” following the latest research on its role in immunity and COVID-19. This was according to studies backed by Kappa Bioscience, which found that deficiency in either vitamin D or vitamin K2 increased the risk of COVID-19 infection. 

A recent Kappa Bioscience-backed study also found low vitamin K status to be predictive of higher mortality for COVID-19. The findings suggest that vitamin K could play a role in the disease mechanisms, with vitamin K2 proposed as a potential supplement to help improve disease outcomes. 

Edited by Elizabeth Green

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