History

Ajinomoto AminoScience LLC Plant
in Raleigh, North Carolina

2009 is the centennial anniversary of the founding of Ajinomoto. The business began by providing food seasonings that became so popular in Japan that Ajinomoto became a household name. Eventually Ajinomoto seasonings became a staple in kitchens all around the world.

Ajinomoto seasonings were based on the discovery of how just one amino acid can affect our ability to experience taste. Over the years, our ongoing research into the benefits of all amino acids has grown our business to encompass not only food, but also sports nutrition, pharmaceuticals and technology.

For example, our advances in amino acid production technology enabled the large-scale supply of amino acids for pharmaceutical use. Ajinomoto discoveries led to the first use of intravenous amino acid therapy for hospitalized patients in the world — an innovation that improved the outcomes of surgical operations dramatically. Today, intravenous amino acid therapy is standard procedure for surgical operations.

A Unique Range of Businesses With One Common Denominator: Amino Acids

Today Ajinomoto creates advanced technologies for the production of amino acids. We do ongoing research into pharmaceutical usage of amino acids and then develop drugs and medicines based on that research. We also have business lines that concentrate on food and nutrition. Amino Vital® is the culmination of Ajinomoto’s heritage — a product born of Ajinomoto’s full range of expertise.

Ajinomoto in the U.S.

Ajinomoto U.S.A., Inc. was established in 1956. Today, Ajinomoto has 4 factories in North Carolina, Iowa and Oregon. In our North Carolina plant, we control AJIPURE™ pharmaceutical-grade amino acids. The AJIPURE™ name has come to stand for the highest quality and purity in amino acids available. It’s why amino acids from Ajinomoto are used widely in intravenous solutions, infant formulas, specialty medical products, and the development and manufacture of prescription medications by pharmaceutical firms around the world.

Our commitment to quality and purity is also what makes Amino Vital® different. Most of the companies in the health food market don’t make their own key ingredients by themselves, but instead use amino acids that don’t even come close to the purity of those from Ajinomoto. We make amino acids that are between 99% and 100% pure. That’s why we manufacture the key ingredients in Amino Vital® ourselves at our Ajinomoto AminoScience LLC plant in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Scale of Business

Ajinomoto has 30,000 employees and over 1,000 researchers who are dedicated to amino acids and its related business. In 2008, this focus helped Ajinomoto win a ranking in the top 50 global companies in the Food & Drink segment of Forbes 2000.

Ajinomoto has business operations in 23 countries, and has products in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, animal feed and nutrition industries that are sold in more than 100 countries globally. The Ajinomoto expertise and commitment to the continuous study of amino acids is unmatched by any other enterprise.

The Pharmaceutical Business

A century of experience has given Ajinomoto an encyclopedic knowledge of the relationship between amino acids and human life. Our ongoing research brings to light ever new physiological effects of amino acids, singly and in combination, and reveals the patterns of disease-specific concentrations of amino acids in the blood.

With our state-of-the-art amino acid technology, we are leading the way in amino acid-based pharmaceutical and nutraceutical development, drawing upon the latest medical research.

In 2000, we began a system of comprehensive nutritional management we call Total Nutrition Care (TNC). This approach is designed to support the nutritional needs of patients at each stage of life and at every stage of the healthcare process. It breaks through the conventional medical and nutritional framework in order to meet the goal of improving each patient’s quality of life.

TNC’s diverse range of solutions extends from intravenous feeding products and medical foods to nutritional information systems that help medical staff care for patients more efficiently. We are proud that this proven approach has been adopted by nutritional support teams.

Supporting Amino Acid Research

Amino acids play a wide variety of critical roles in the biochemistry of all life on our planet, but there is much that is not yet fully understood. Thus, ongoing research into the role of amino acids will lead to the discovery of new ways to help people maintain, improve or recover their health. This is why, in addition to our own research, Ajinomoto has been working in collaboration with universities and outside institutions to further contribute to human health through the use of amino acids.

To further explore the diverse functions of amino acids, Ajinomoto has been operating the Ajinomoto Amino Acid Research Program (3ARP) since 2005. 3ARP provides research grants worldwide to encourage research into the biological aspects of amino acids. Through 3ARP, Ajinomoto has been able to support the advancement of research in an ever-widening field around the world.

In addition to applying research results to new product development, the Ajinomoto Group is committed to encouraging the use of amino acids to benefit the health of people around the world.

Future Projects

Ajinomoto research and development is pointing the way to new ways that amino acids can benefit the health of people around the world. With each new discovery, projects are initiated with this goal in mind.

The Lysine Project
Fighting nutritional problems in developing countries through the power of amino acids

In regions where the normal diet is believed to provide insufficient protein, Ajinomoto initiated a study to determine if fortification with lysine, an essential amino acid, would reduce the incidence of nutrition related health problems. Started in 2007 in the semi-rural area of Ghana, West Africa, the Lysine Project was conducted jointly with the International Nutrition Foundation, an American NGO working on nutritional problems in developing countries, and with the collaboration of the University of Ghana and other organizations.

Ajinomoto works to contribute to overall human health through advanced technology and knowledge of amino acids in the field of food, sports nutrition, pharmaceutical and nutritional support. It is our pleasure to contribute to your healthy lifestyle with Amino Vital and be a part of your sports routine.