Fermenstation and Iwate University explore fermentation for healthcare

Japanese bio-manufacturing startup Fermenstation Co., Ltd. announced it will begin a joint research project with Iwate University. The collaboration aims to identify new healthcare applications for materials created by upcycling unused biomass through fermentation.

Fermenstation specialises in using proprietary fermentation technology to regenerate unused resources, such as food production residues and pomace, into high-value materials. The new research seeks to build on this expertise. The project aims to scientifically verify the potential of new healthcare materials created through fermentation, addressing the growing need to find value in agricultural and food processing by-products.

The study is titled “Research on Exploring the Healthcare Functions of Fermented Products from Unused Biomass,” and will be conducted with Professor Yoshiaki Ito of Iwate University’s Faculty of Agriculture. Researchers will create approximately 1,500 different samples for evaluation. These will be produced by fermenting around 50 types of unused biomass with 30 kinds of selected microorganisms, including yeast, lactic acid bacteria and koji mould.

The core of the study involves evaluating the lipid accumulation inhibitory effect of the samples on fat cells. The primary objective is to discover functional materials that could help suppress the build-up of excessive neutral and subcutaneous fat. This initiative will serve as a model for developing high-function materials from fermented biomass and represents the first phase of a broader screening process.

Fermenstation shares, “Through this research, we intend to promote the creation of new added value for unused resources and the development of next-generation food materials based on fermentation technology.”