Translation of the press release by Itochu Corporation. The original pressrelease was issued in Japanese.
ITOCHU Corporation formed an alliance with Wageningen UR (Wageningen Universityand Research Centre), which is the major organisation of the Food Valleyin the Netherlands, in the broad field of functional foods, food safety andetc., and decided to promote jointly the development of food biotechnologybusiness directed for Japan.
About Wageningen UR
Wageningen UR, with which ITOCHU Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding,is a unique cooperation comprising a university and more than 10 market orientedresearch organisations. Approximately 7,000 specialists are working frombasic research to applied research concerning issues about food, agrotechnologyand the environment. The organisation of Wageningen UR consists of, amongothers, Wageningen University, Agrotechnology & Food Innovations, PlantResearch International, Applied Plant Research (PPO), Rikilt-Institute ofFood Safety and the Animal Sciences Group. This geographical area is alsocalled 'Food Valley', and approximately 10,000 researchers are engaged inresearch activities. The topics of research are, among others, functionalfoods, food processing and agro-product technology, bioprocess technology(technology which converts properties of raw materials), novel foods, nutrigenomics(technology which studies the health relationship by investigating specificfood components and the occurrences of genes), food safety and etc. In allfood fields, the most advanced research activities are being conducted.
The concept of 'Food Valley' is the 'fusion of industry and science', and,by doing fundamental and applied research together, mainly practical researchactivities are being conducted. Therefore, major research institutes andprivate companies involved in various fields of the food industry are locatedin the 'Food Valley'. Wageningen UR is the main (representative) organisationof the 'Food Valley'. Other major research institutes include WageningenCenter for Food Sciences, NIZO Food Research and TNO Nutrition & FoodResearch.Wageningen UR started up more than 120 spin-off ventures, contributingto an active Dutch industry. Wageningen UR is currently conducting jointactivities with the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisherieswith an aim to enhance Japanese agricultural technology. Wageningen URalso carries out joint project with government organisations of differentcountries, the World Bank and other organisations. Besides that, WageningenUR conducts joint research with the world's major food and pharmaceuticalcompanies, like Unilever, Cargill, Pfizer, Bayer and Nestlé.
About the strategy of Itochu
As for the concrete activities between Wageningen UR and ITOCHU Corporation,we are thinking of:
- joint development in the fields of functional foods, food safety, agro-technology(grain related), nutrigenomics, nutriceuticals, enviromental issues;
- joint business with Japanese companies;
- technology transfer towards Japan;
- investments in spin-off companies.
Itochu considers food biotechnology as the most important area of the innovativetechnology business. Together with – among other organisations, withwhich ITOCHU Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding – LosAlamos National Laboratory (USA), CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific & IndustrialResearch Organisation, Australia), VTT Biotechnology (Finland), InstitutPasteur (France), Itochu will use the agreement with Wageningen UR to promotenew business in the field of food biotechnology.