New Year Drink: Kirin to launch iMUSE probiotic water for daily and sports hydration

19-Dec-2019 - Last updated on 23-Dec-2019 at 03:24 GMT

iMUSE Water (Mizu) will be available at supermarkets, convenience stores, and drug stores from January 14, 2020 ©Kirin

Japan’s Kirin Beverage Co will launch its iMUSE Water (Mizu) in January 2020, containing its proprietary probiotic Lactococcus Lactis Strain Plasma.

iMUSE Water is a sugar-free, calorie-free product that can consumed on a daily basis for health management.

According to the firm, the drink can be consumed at any time, “such as in the event of a sport, as well as in the day-to-day hydration.”

In earlier clinical studies, Plasma Lactobacillus was found to play a role in immunity. Kirin was the first in the world to discover the mechanisms of Plasma Lactobacillus and believes there is huge opportunity for its potential use in fighting dengue virus infection, as well as its anti-ageing effects.

The firm said the awareness of Plasma Lactobacillus has more than doubled over the past four years (data from Kirin, 2019).

Katsura Muraoka from the corporate communication department at Kirin Holdings told NutraIngredients-Asia the drink is targeted to a “wide range of ages who have high consciousness for health.”

The drink delivers 100 billion Plasma Lactobacillus per 500mL. The probiotic is isolated from soured milk.

While the drink is marketed with a wellness element, Muraoka said the product will not hold a Food with Function Claim (FFC).

The drink will be available at supermarkets, convenience stores, and drug stores from January 14, 2020. The retail price of iMUSE Water Mizu before tax is JPY 120 (US$1).

According to Dr Daisuke Fujiwara from the firm’s business creation department, the probiotic is added in the form of killed dry powder, “which has the same activity as live bacteria form, but the powder is heat resistant with no taste and smell.”

iMUSE eye

As part of the Kirin Group Vision 2027 plan to create products connecting food and medicine, the firm is further developing iMUSE as a brand to support health maintenance.

The iMUSE range of products currently consist of yoghurts, supplements, gummies, and beverages.

Kirin recently released another FFC-supplement under the iMUSE brand, called iMUSE eye KW Lactic Acid Bacteria last month, which aims to target the increasing number of people with eye fatigue caused by the effects of blue light from computers and smartphones.

It contains the Lactobacillus KW strain (50 billion) which claims to reduce eye fatigue. The probiotic is isolated from cheese.