Research and Development (R&D)

We challenge ourselves to develop food and ingredients of new category,
applying the function of mother’s milk

We at Ortho have been working on, for years, research and development on how to apply the biological function of breast milk (mother’s milk) to food. Our long and strenuous effort culminated in “i’m Protein”, immunized protein abundant in mother-infant immune-activating compound, which was launched in 2018.

Development Process of Immunized Protein

Under the guidance of Dr. Kikuo Nomoto at Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, we have studied, for nearly quarter century, the mother-infant immune system in an attempt to apply the biological system to specific food.

From 1997 through 2004, one of our researchers was stationed at Dr. Yasunobu Yoshikai’s laboratory of the Institute to study protein concentrate and colostrum protein contained in super-immunized milk.
Starting in 2001, we have set up a research room at the Research Park of Keio University School of Medicine to undertake original study, together with Dr. Hidekazu Suzuki of the School, on chicken egg that contains antibody against H. pylori (immunized egg). At the same time, another researcher was sent to Dr. Tatsuhiko Suzuki at the Kitasato Institute Biomedical Center under whose guidance analytical researches on enteric microorganism was conducted.
In 2008, jointly with SMBI in Taiwan, we launched super-immunized milk “SUSTAINA”. In 2017, a specialized technique for solubilized super-immunized protein concentrate was developed, which resulted in successful creation of new ingredient “i’mP26” followed by the launch of “i’m Protein” in 2018.

Currently, using the “i’m Protein”, double-blind crossover human tests are commissioned to Dr. Katsuhiko Suzuki at Waseda University School of Sport Sciences.

i’m Protein
Trade name
i’m Protein
Flavor
 
immuno-white taste
Product category
Protein-processed food
Raw ingredients
Milk protein, vegetable oil and fat/fragrance, citric acid, emulsifier, sweetener (stevia) (partially contains milk constituent and soy beans)
Place of origin of ingredient
New Zealand (raw milk – milk protein)
Package
30 sachets (15 sachets x 2 boxes, 1 sachet = 26.8g)
How to store
Store in refrigerator, avoiding direct sun light and heat and humidity.
Price
¥42,000 (not including consumption tax)

Nutrition Facts Labeling per 1 sachet (26.8g)

Calories
100kcal
Protein
20.0g
Fat
1.3g
Carbohydrate
2.3g
Salt Equivalent
0.05g
Amino Acid
100

Mechanism and Effect of Immunized Protein

Let us present to you the system of how our new immunized protein works.

  • Mechanism of breast milk – Principle to Mother-Infant Immune-activating System

    It is well known that newborn babies are very susceptive immunologically. That means they are not yet biologically equipped to produce their own immune antibody.
    This is when breast milk plays an important role to protect babies from all kinds of bacteria and resisting disease by covering their immunological susceptibility, which is noticeable especially in colostrum produced by a new mother post-partum period of 1-2 weeks. Colostrum contains great amount of antibody that newborn babies cannot produce on their own. That is why we generally hear “Breast milk fed babies grow up healthily”. This concept was originally proposed by Dr. Elie Metchnikoff (Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine) as a “Principle to Mother-Infant Immune System” in the early 20th century.
    What is biologically effective to newborn babies must work out in the same way to adults with a weakened immune system for a variety of reasons, we thought. Out of this scientific belief, we have developed HIT (Hyper Immunized Technology). HIT is a biotechnology that applies the mother-infant immune system to food.
    Out of typical microbes that are residents in the human intestines, 26 kinds of pathogenic bacteria were targeted to be killed and vaccinated against dairy cows. This is the super-immunized high-technology to produce immunoreactivity (antibody). The cow’s milk is pasteurized at low temperature and dried, which can be called “mother’s milk for adults”.

    Mechanism of breast milk – Principle to Mother-Infant Immune-activating System
  • New ingredient “i’m P26”, immunized protein

    Mother’s milk itself is a biological system to preserve baby’s health. At the same time, it serves as an essential protein to enhance baby’s physical growth.
    That made us realize that the protein might be of use to prove immunity in adults as well. Moreover, the protein might further upgrade the immune potency for the adults.
    Based on this scientific notion, we successfully completed, in 2017, the development of “i’m Protein” which includes the new ingredient “i’mP26”, solubilized super-immunized milk protein concentrate.

    New ingredient “i’m Protein”, immunized protein
  • Standing at the forefront of immune system ~ Intestinal environment

    Intestinal environment constitutes the first tier of the biological regulations, standing the first line of immune system of human body. In our intestines, a great number of probiotic bacteria and pathogenic bacteria keep intestinal equilibrium.
    It is well known that eating probiotics such as yogurt (prebio) as well as taking oligosaccharide (probio), one of favorites for probiotic bacteria, are effective in improving intestinal immunity. By the same token, taking in the immunized protein with mother-infant biological function directly assists in controlling our intestinal environment and greatly contributes to our overall immunity.

    Standing at the forefront of immune system ~ Intestinal environment
  • Research on hyperimmunized milk

    Fed two groups of animal subjects with either ordinary skim milk (control group) or Hyper Immunized Milk (treatment group). After seven days’ feeding, the animal subjects were exposed to high doses of X-rays. The animals continued to be fed with ordinary skim milk or Hyper Immunized Milk until the study concluded. It was found that animal subjects fed with Hyper Immunized Milk clearly had a higher survival rate than the control group(1).
    In a study to determine the effects of Hyper Immunized Milk on aging, fed animal subjects with either ordinary skim milk (control group) or Hyper Immunized Milk (treatment group). After six months’ and after sixteen months’ feeding, animal subjects fed with Hyper Immunized Milk showed reduced numbers of Enterobacteriaceae in the large intestine and in the cecum(2).
    Further,the other study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of Hyper Immunized Milk and its derivative products on fecal bacterial flora and other features of feces in female university students. The ingestion of extracts from Hyper Immunized Milk resulted in a significant increase in intestinal counts of Bifidobacterium, suggesting that the extract from Hyper Immunized Milk is useful for improving the intestinal flora(3).

    References
    (1)Agric. Biol. Chem. 1991,55(9),2265-2272
    (2)J. Nutr. 1992,122(9),1875-1883
    (3)Bioscience Microflora. 2003, 22(4),139-144

    Research on hyperimmunized milk
  • Anti-inflammatory mechanism of immunized protein

    Pain and/or inflammation is afflicted by toxin of intestinal pathogenic bacteria (LPS, etc.) which aggravates intestinal environment. As a result, the declined intestinal immunity, in turn, breaks through the intestinal tract and moves into other parts of the body. This is called “leaky gut”. Toxin such as LPS stimulates all kinds of immune cells randomly producing inflammatory cytokine and complicating symptoms of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
    Immunized protein contains great amount of antibody against pathogenic bacteria and toxin thereof. It has been proven that antigen-antibody interaction eliminates the bacteria and toxin. (Ref: “Therapeutic Effect of milk-contained antibody on rheumatoid arthritis” the 52nd Annual Conference of the Japan Rheumatoid Academy, General Assembly, 2008.4.21)

    Anti-inflammatory mechanism of immunized protein

We will send you health and smiles from Shibuya

Inquiries by telephone or fax to our company can be made at the following numbers.

Phone: 03-3498-1036

Fax: 03-3498-3023