Enhancing Food Value with Sustainable Ingredients at ifia JAPAN 2026

The Shoko Tsusho Corporation will participate in the upcoming ifia JAPAN 2026, the 31st International Food Ingredients/Additives Exhibition and Conference, held at the Tokyo Big Sight from May 27 to 29, 2026. This event will focus on introducing sustainable food materials that enhance food value through various attributes such as texture, flavor, functionality, and changes in physical properties while also considering environmental sustainability.

Background and Purpose of Participation

Recently, themes like clean labeling, environmental consideration, and stable supply have become crucial in product planning within the food industry. Leveraging strong partnerships with manufacturers both domestically and internationally, Shoko Tsusho offers a wide range of food materials that combine functionality, stable supply, and reduced environmental impact.

At the exhibition, we will be presenting:

- Functional materials that contribute to product differentiation
- Sustainable ingredients that meet environmental needs
- Application proposals capable of addressing a wide range of uses

These angles aim to provide solutions for development, procurement, and planning personnel in the food sector.

Highlighted Exhibit Materials

The exhibition will showcase several noteworthy materials:

- Fenugreek Seed Powder: A food material that enhances the thickening properties of fenugreek, a spice widely used, making it an excellent thickener for various foods.

- Yeast and Yeast Extract: An animal-free and allergen-free food ingredient with salt-reducing effects, this material can also impart meat flavors.

- Tree-Derived Vanillin: A sustainable vanilla-flavored compound sourced from trees, offering stable supply with a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional vanilla flavorings.

- Cereals: Products from Kellogg's, known for their low glycemic index, high nutritional value, and excellent satiety, facilitating diverse product developments.

Seminar Announcement

In line with the exhibition, Shoko Tsusho will host a seminar focusing on high-protein yeast. This session will explore the potential of yeast-derived proteins and their applications in food, responding to the growing interest in plant-based and microbe-derived proteins due to global population growth and changes in food demand and supply.

Seminar Details:

- Date: May 27, 2026 (Wednesday)
- Time: 14:30 – 14:55
- Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, Conference Building Room 607
- Title: “Possibilities of Yeast Protein Confirmed by Lallemand”
- Speaker: Shoeb Syed M., Ph.D., Lallemand Inc., Montreal, Quebec, Canada

For Development and Planning Professionals

At our booth, Shoko Tsusho will extend beyond basic introductions of raw materials, providing application proposals as well. If you are considering new product development or improvements to existing products, we encourage you to visit us.

Previous Exhibition Overview:
During ifia JAPAN 2025, representatives from Lallemand, a company that produces yeast and yeast extract, participated, engaging with visitors beyond material explanations to offer practical application proposals.