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Nippon Paper Chemicals Co., Ltd. (President: Toshio Inoue) of the Nippon Paper
Group has decided to launch a functional oligosaccharide cellobiose business
after the effects of the product in feed use were confirmed. New production equipment
will be installed in Gotsu Works in Shimane and, with the Company's unique technology,
is capable of extracting cellobiose from cellulose in trees. The new equipment
will be launched in October 2007.
In the natural world, cellobiose exists in pine needles, cornstalk and other
plants and is characterized by its indigestibility. In fact, it reaches the large
intestine without being decomposed with digestive enzymes. Cellobiose is decomposed
with butyric acid bacteria in the large intestine. Generated butyric acids activate
the metabolism of epithelial cells in the large intestine and clean the intestine.
The company has studied this function and learned that cellobiose given to weaned
baby pigs led to an increase in their feed intake and body weight. In cattle,
cellobiose has been shown to significantly facilitate the digestion of dry food
and fibers.
Nippon Paper Chemicals will continue to work with Miyarisan Pharmaceutical Co.,
Ltd.* in developing the use of cellobiose in medical drugs, functional foods
and cosmetics.
Information about the new cellobiose production equipment
| Production capacity |
: |
80 tons/year |
| Construction
period |
: |
Starts in May 2007
with completion scheduled for October 2007 |
| Investment |
: |
240 million yen |
*For more information about Miyarisan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., log on to
http://www.miyarisan.com/
| Head
office |
: |
1-10-3
Kaminakazato, Kita-ku, Tokyo |
| Representative |
: |
Masayuki Uchida |
| Established |
: |
1947 |
| Capital |
: |
200 million yen |
| Business line |
: |
(1) Production and
marketing of drugs for medical and general use, veterinary drugs, feed additives
and health food; (2) export of medical drugs |
| Employees |
: |
162 |
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