"The hy central research institute discovers strains, develops functionality, and turns the developed materials into products. Not only raw materials but also finished goods are produced at our own factories and supplied externally."
Yang Jun-ho, Head of Team for research planning at the hy central research institute, said this at the "Probiotics class" event held on the 23rd at the hy central research institute in Yongin, Gyeonggi. The event featured a tour of the research facilities, hands-on experiments, and explanations from the researchers, revealing the overall process of hy's probiotics research.
The central research institute that hy unveiled through the probiotics class was closer to an integrated platform that goes beyond a simple research facility, continuing from strain discovery to verification before commercialization and mass production.
The hy central research institute is said to be the first corporate-affiliated research institute in Korea's food industry, established in 1976. It currently holds a library of more than 5,000 strains, and Yang, Head of Team, said the institute carries out the entire process in-house, from strain discovery to functionality verification and productization.
Yang, Head of Team, said, "Among domestic food corporations, cases that conduct basic research in parallel are rare. A structure that connects everything from strain discovery to industrialization and distribution is our competitiveness," adding, "In fact, hy's proportion of self-developed strains is over 90%, significantly reducing reliance on foreign strains."
On site, the process of isolating and culturing microorganisms from various raw materials such as ginseng and kimchi, and then selecting a single strain after dozens of hours of culturing, was revealed. Afterward, safety and colonization in the gut are evaluated, and a final "strain number" is assigned.
A "cell bank" that stores strains at minus 80 degrees and automated equipment for large-scale strain screening were also shown.
The new materials development team is in charge of functionality research on probiotics. On site, experiments related to immune response (anti-inflammatory) and DNA damage (aging) were demonstrated.
Kim Ju-yeon, Head of Team of the new materials development team at the hy central research institute, explained, "Probiotics are connected not only to gut health but also to various areas such as immunity and aging," and "We are proceeding with materialization focusing on strains whose functionality has been confirmed."
In fact, hy has secured raw materials that have obtained individual recognition from the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety for functionality such as skin, immunity, and body fat reduction, and is also expanding microbiome-based research.
The most eye-catching spot on the tour was the dairy team's pilot plant. The pilot plant built inside the institute is a "mini production line" that scales down a real factory.
At the pilot plant, the entire process is implemented from culture medium production to homogenization (particle micronization), sugar and flavor mixing, and fermented beverage manufacturing.
Lee Eung-seok, Head of Team of the dairy team at the hy central research institute, explained, "Before mass-producing products made in the lab, we conduct tests at a pilot plant designed to match factory conditions," adding, "We check hygiene and stability, accumulate data, and reflect it in actual production."
A process using a homogenizer to apply high pressure to the culture medium was also demonstrated. Through this process, the coarse culture medium turns smooth, coming closer to the final product form. Lee, Head of Team, explained, "The raw liquid right after culturing is coarse with a strong sour taste," and "Through homogenization and blending, it becomes a fermented milk drink that consumers can easily enjoy." Tasting the raw liquid after culturing, only sourness was perceived, unlike Yakult sold on the market. After going through the entire manufacturing process and adding fruit flavors and concentrates, it became a sweet beverage similar to Yakult sold on the market.
Strains and processes developed at the institute move through the pilot plant into actual products. It is a structure that narrows the gap between research and production.
Hy is also conducting research to broaden efficacy from lactobacillus studies focused on gut health to various areas such as skin, immunity, and body fat reduction. It was explained that the new growth team within the hy central research institute is an organization focused on expanding functionality beyond existing probiotics research.
As consumer demands have diversified beyond gut health to skin improvement, immune enhancement, and body fat reduction, research directions are also rapidly expanding. Accordingly, the new growth team is conducting studies to prove functionality in collaboration with domestic and overseas universities and research institutions.
Some functionalities have entered the commercialization stage after obtaining certification from the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety. This is accelerating the shift from existing fermented milk-centered products to functional probiotics products.
The company is also focusing on microbiome research, which refers to the gut microbial ecosystem. Because the effects of probiotics vary depending on the individual gut environment, the strategy is to analyze this and lead to more precise functionality development.
Choi Il-dong, Head of Team of the new growth team at the hy central research institute, said, "The goal is to secure scientific evidence for functionality tailored to consumer needs beyond gut health for probiotics, and to connect this through to industrialization."