In recent years, soft foods that require less chewing have been on the rise. Soft foods have caused a decline in "chewing ability," and the effects of this decline on the body^* are said to be manifold. LOTTE Co., Ltd., and Wayo Women's University are engaged in joint research to raise awareness of the importance of chewing. Kewpie's own research has clarified the effects of the amount of water contained in foods and heat treatment on foods on the number of chews and identified the food groups with the highest number of chews.

*For example, it has been reported that the prevalence of diabetes is lower the higher the chewing ability.
Toru Y et al., Mastication and Risk for Diabetes in a Japanese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study. PLOS ONE(2013) Volume 8, Issue 6

Communicating correct information about food and the importance and joy of food is one of our most crucial roles.
In our hope to contribute to healthy and enjoyable dietary habits, we send employees out to give lectures themed on food that provide correct information on diet and health.
We currently have three different programs; "The Appeal of Vegetables" features content designed to stimulate interest in those who attend by watching DVDs on vegetable nutrition and ideal intake as well as showing cooking methods that participants can put into practice in their everyday lives.
We've received comments such as, "I'll plan my meals with 350g of vegetables per day in mind," or "I learned about the broad appeal of vegetables and how to enjoy them at the dinner table," indicating that this program conveys the appeal of vegetables.

In 1998, Kewpie released Japan's first retail nursing care foods. In 2005, Japan became the world's first super-aged society and the need for nursing care foods continues to rise.
We hold study sessions with professionals involved in the nursing care field as well as students to facilitate greater understanding of foods for the elderly and universal design foods. We also hold events for the general public.

In 2016, Kewpie signed a comprehensive partnership (Shibuya Social Action Partner Agreement, or S-SAP) with Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Since then, we have worked together on initiatives to promote eating vegetables, such as by proposing Shibuya's original salad called "#SHIBUSALA."
Now, with support from Shibuya-ku, we will be conducting a joint study with the Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology. The study will focus on how much vegetables and proteins, such as eggs, are consumed by the ward residents. We will use the results obtained from an analysis of the study to make recommendations for a healthy diet.

We applied for the "FY2021 Innovation Creation Enhancement Research Promotion Project"^*1 offered by the Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution (hereafter "BRAIN"), and the project was awarded^*2 under the title of "Research on hen's eggs' ability to improve cognitive function and development of value-added hen's eggs to expand the egg market." In the "Applied Research Stage" and alongside five other institutes^*3, Kewpie aims to clarify the effects of hen's eggs on cognitive function and jointly develop value-added eggs that contain high levels of these functional ingredients. The purpose of this project is to clarify the "cognitive function improvement effect" of hen's egg intake, to identify the components involved in this improvement, and to confirm the effect in human studies.

*1The R&D project is open to proposals and focuses on promoting R&D through the accumulation and utilization of knowledge to generate innovative technologies, products, and services that defy common wisdom.

*2Result of the review of the public solicitation for "FY2021 Innovation Creation Enhancement Research Promotion Project."

*3Collaborating research institutes: The University of Tokyo, Tokyo Medical University, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, and National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO)

We are developing baby foods that do not contain the seven common food allergens, using ingredients such as wheat-free soy sauce.

The Kewpie Group aims to maintain the original taste of our Japanese mayonnaise while also focusing on developing condiments at our overseas locations that go well with local ingredients and dishes.
In China, we developed a sweet type of mayonnaise that goes well with fruit salads, and the product is now widely used. Furthermore, we also developed a dressing that goes well with a mixed vegetable dish commonly eaten in northern China. The product is now incredibly popular in Beijing.
In Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, we produce Halal certified products and sell them in the local markets and neighboring countries where food is increasingly becoming westernized.
In this way, we develop products that meet the needs of each country and offer great taste to people across the world.

In Vietnam, insufficient intake of calcium is increasing osteoporosis cases (a health condition that causes bones to weaken), and it is becoming a social issue. Kewpie conducted a joint research with the National Institute of Nutrition in Hanoi on Vietnamese women. Based on the results of the basic research, Kewpie Vietnam released a nutritional supplement product using calcium from egg shells (calcium carbonate derived from egg shells) in December 2017. Since rice is a staple food in Vietnam, users can include the supplement when cooking rice to easily add calcium to their diet.
A similar product is also available in Japan under the name "Genki na Hone" (Healthy Bones).