When Dr. Minoru Shirota (1899 – 1982) began investigating Lactic Acid Bacteria, living standards in Japan were substandard due to malnutrition and poor sanitation, which resulted in a range of digestive disorders and general ill health.
Dr. Shirota strongly believed that beneficial bacteria held the key to a long and healthy life, with the potential to improve overall health standards. His determination led to a significant breakthrough in 1930 when he successfully researched a unique strain of Lactic Acid Bacteria capable of surviving the stomach’s acidic environment. In recognition of his groundbreaking research, the bacteria were named Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Shirota.
Dr. Shirota developed a fermented, milk-based drink to deliver the Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Shirota strain to the gut and named it ‘Yakult’, creating the world’s first commercial probiotic drink.