About Us | Food & Bio Research Center

Kyoto Research Laboratories (KRL) primarily studies biotechnology since being founded as a research and development department of Marukin Shoyu Co., Ltd., in Uji, Kyoto, in December 1967. We have been active in the study of biotechnology, particularly related to microorganisms and closely related life activities. Our basic philosophy has been to establish laboratories for the research and development of creative technology in unique fields. We have commercialized original reagents, medical supplies, and health foods and have obtained higher evaluations for those products from domestic and foreign users.

Later, we became independent as Marukin Bio, Inc., and since February 2006, as a core R&D company supporting the development platform of the Japan Food & Liquor Alliance Group, a general food alliance, we have continuously supported the creation of new food products by using the technologies developed by group member companies. In addition, upon the merger with JFLA in October 2007, we changed our name to Food & Bio Research Center to emphasize our role as the R&D section for the group.

Based on the basic philosophy of contributing to society in the field of human health maintenance and improvement, we consider product development capability as the lifeline of a manufacturer. Using our own technologies, we focus on expanding the sialic-acid business where we have numerous patents in Japan and other countries, enhancing the sales of Ubastec (the world's first liver-function evaluation medicine using urine), and the active development of effective health foods as a global leader of the field in the creation of a new market in the field of food and medicine.


Name	Japan Food & Liquor Alliance Inc. Food & Bio Research Center
Date established	October 1, 2007
Office	27 Monnomae, Todo, Uji, Kyoto 611-0013
Products	Biochemical reagents, diagnostics enzymes and kits
Learned society membership	Japanese Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry The Japanese Biochemical Society Japanese Society of Carbohydrate Research Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology Pharmaceutical Society of Japan Others


1967	Marukin-Bio (KRL) was founded in Kyoto.
1974	Colominic acid fermentation was initiated. Neuraminidase from non-pathogenic bacteria was screened. N-Acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid : NeuAc) was prepared from colominic acid by neuraminidase NeuAc-aldolase from Escherichia coli was prepared. These products are now being distributed all over the world as biochemical reagents.
1982	Sialic acid assay kit for clinical use was developed.
1984	NeuAc-aldolase (NAL) recombinant of E.coli by genetic engineering technology was constructed. NAL large production using recombinant was developed.
1992	Procedure of NeuAc large scale production by alkaline method was developed.
1993	Bile acid sulfate assay kit (manual:UBASTEC) for clinical use was developed.
1995	UBASTEC was approved for hospital and clinical laboratory use by Health and Welfare Ministry.
1995	Grant from Human Science Foundation for development of anti-AIDS drug together with a group of University was received (for five years).
1995	N-Acylglucosamine 2-epimerase (AGE) recombinant of E.coli by genetic engineering technology was constructed.
1996	UBASTEC·AUTO (for use in autoanalyzer) was approved for hospitals and clinical laboratory use by Health and Welfare Ministry.
1998	UBASTEC·AUTO was approved for laboratory use by FDA and clinical trial for hospital and clinical.
1999	Marukin Diagnostics Inc.(MDI) established for US Marketing and Sales.
2000	Health foods "Olive Leaf Supplement" for diabetic hyperglycemia was developed. Estrogen-like activity of Pomegranate juice was demonstrated.
2002	Health foods "Noni Juice" for hypertonia was developed
2005	Acquired ISO9001 (JQA-QMA 11984).
2007	Merged with Japan Food & Liquor Alliance Inc., a holding company of the JFLA Group, and became a core R&D company for the group as Food & Bio Reseａrch Center.