In the modern world where health maintenance has become a major concern in
most societies and where technology has boosted the pace and reach of research and
information dissemination, the importance of wellness- and health-inducing practices
has seeped into the people’s consciousness. Today, over and above the need for
exercise and proper nutrition, many people have embraced the concept of probiotics
intake to boost wellness. Information on this matter and other subjects that have a
bearing on health have gained a wide patronage—gut health among these—where
Yakult has been playing a major role.
Although Yakult has been known for almost 50 years now in the Philippines and
90 in Japan to benefit our digestive health and well-being, modern-day research has
time and again confirmed the importance of ensuring one’s gut health for overall health
and wellness.
Dr. Shawn Manske, Assistant Director of Clinical Education at New York-based
Biocidin Botanicals, published a report about a study that he conducted titled
Gastrointestinal Health: A Foundation for Whole-body Wellness. He said that recent
research has illuminated the critical role that gut health plays in human physiology and
disease.
Medical doctor and professor, Dr. Stephan Bischoff (2024), defines ‘gut health’ as
“a term increasingly used in medical literature and by the food industry… (which) covers
multiple positive aspects of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as the effective digestion
and absorption of food, the absence of GI illness, normal and stable intestinal
microbiota, effective immune status and a state of well-being.”
(https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3065426/)
According to Miami USA-based spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics Amy Kimberlain, “Keeping a healthy environment in your gut is critical to not
only optimizing your health but also staving off chronic disease.”
The gut must then be strengthened to keep it healthy so the body stands a better
chance to have a strong immune system. This is where Yakult comes in.
In the late 1920s, Dr. Minoru Shirota, upon observing the state of health of the
people around him in Japan, resolved to do research that could help quell the malady
around him. He worked for long hours at the Kyoto Imperial University School of
Medicine (now Kyoto University) to be able to find possible ways to help improve the
people’s health. He worked on strengthening and culturing lactic acid bacteria in his
laboratory until finally he succeeded. He managed to develop a health-enhancing
strain— Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota (LcS). This strain later became the
main ingredient of a probiotic drink that was made available in 1935 to Japanese
consumers at a very affordable price. It carried the brand name Yakult and the company
that manufactured and introduced it to the market was registered as Yakult Honsha Co.,
Ltd. Yakult’s Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota (LcS) has a GRAS (Generally
Recognize As Safe) Certification from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
whereas there must be a general recognition by qualified experts that it is safe when
consumed in accordance with its intended use in a food or beverage.
Later established in Kyoto, Japan is this company’s state-of-the-art research and
development arm which continuously updates and reinforces its R&D initiatives to
guarantee the quality of the products being manufactured and to develop new products.
By now, Yakult products have gained a wide consumer base in 40 countries and
regions, the Philippines included. Yakult Philippines was established in the year 1978.
On its 47 th year in the Philippines this 2025, Yakult Philippines opened its second plant
in the country strategically located in Mindanao in order to better serve the needs of its
loyal consumers down south and benefit more people. Located in El Salvador, Misamis
Oriental, it complements the original Yakult plant which is located in Calamba Laguna.
It was inaugurated in early June of this year. The Yakult El Salvador Manufacturing
Company (YESMC) Plant occupies a total floor area of 25,583 sq meters and
construction area of about 18,709 sq meters.
Yakult is considered a pioneer in the field of probiotics, providing products that
contribute to good health. “Its efficacy is guaranteed by 8 billion live Lacticaseibacillus
paracasei strain Shirota (LcS) in every bottle of Yakult drink,” says YESMC Chairman
and Yakult Philippines, Inc. President, Mr. Alberto R. Dy Sun.
