国際アミノ酸科学協会

On June 7, we held a brainstorming meeting with the members of the ICAAS Scientific Advisory Committee (ICAAS SAC).

The meeting started our preparations for the 10th Amino Acid Assessment Workshop sponsored by ICAAS. The provisional date for the Workshop was set on November 19-20, 2019 in Tokyo (Japan). The Workshop will be focusing on safety of human intake of essential amino acids histidine, lysine and methionine. As many as 50 invited experts from many countries of the world will gather to both discuss recent clinical studies and to propose the upper limits of safe intake.

Proceedings of the Workshop are to be published in J. Nutrition by mid-2020.

The attached photo shows (from-left-to-right), Dr. Hideki Matsumoto (Ajinomoto Co.), Mr. Jeff Smith (Evonik Co.), Profs. Patrick Stover, Sidney Morris, Dennis Bier, Motoni Kadowaki, Luc Cynober, Rajavel Elango, Mr. Ryusuke Nakagiri (Kyowa Hakko Co.) and Dr. Miro Smriga (ICAAS)

Thu, 2018-03-22
On March 22, ICAAS members will gather in Prague (Czech Republic) for the 2018 ICAAS annual board and general meetings. The participants discussed scientific activity conducted during 2017, activity plan for 2018 and the budget for the 10th Amino Acid Assessment Workshop.

Viviana Spaghetti from The Whitehouse Consultancy gave a presentation on the impact of Brexit on food and food ingredients, which the participants found useful and interesting.

Wed, 2017-06-21
ICAAS was invited as speaker to the “2017 KoSFoST International Symposium and Annual Meeting” held on June 21-23, 2017 at ICC Jeju, Republic of Korea.

Miro Smriga, ICAAS CEO, represented ICAAS at this event by giving a presentation on the physiological functionality of food-added MSG with an specific focus on the gastrointestinal system.

Mon, 2017-06-12
ICAAS was invited to make a keynote lecture and Dr. Michael Rogers (ICAAS President) provided a simultaneously translated lecture entitled “International Scientific and Regulatory Update on Amino Acid use by Humans”. Besides summarizing the global regulatory developments and ICAAS science effort, Dr. Rogers also emphasized that ICAAS wished to broaden and deepen its cooperation with appropriate Chinese regulatory bodies to foster safer and more effective use of amino acids in China.

On the occasion of the Symposium, Dr. Rogers was invited to visit the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Institute is equipped with state of the art laboratories and is forging mutually beneficial joint research programmes. Future contacts and involvement in the upcoming 10th AAAW are envisioned.

Thu, 2016-11-10
ICAAS was invited to speak on amino acid specifications and safety at the 4th Asia Pacific Food Safety Conference. About 400 people participated in this Conference mostly from Asian companies, universities and national ministries of health and agriculture..

Miro Smriga, ICAAS CEO, presented an invited lecture on amino acid use and safety, focusing on both nutritional deficiencies of essential amino acids as well as ICAAS work with specifications and upper limits.

2016-11-11 ICAAS invitation to speak at the 4th Asia Pacific Food Safety Conference, Penang, Malaysia

Tue, 2016-10-11
Penang, Malaysia
ICAAS is invited to speak on amino acid specifications and safety at the 4th Asia Pacific Food Safety Conference, taking place from 11 to 13 October in Penang, Malaysia.

Miro Smriga, ICAAS CEO, will present a paper on the safety of amino acids as essential building blocks of human nutrition, 12 October, 12:05 – 12:30.

Astract

For more information, on the conference and to register: http://www.apacfoodsafety2016.com/

Wed, 2016-08-17
Daegu, Republic of Korea
ICAAS participated in the Korean Amino Acid Industry Academic Symposium session at the 2016 KoSFoST (Korean Society of Food Science and Technology) International Symposium and Annual Meeting in Daegu, Republic of Korea from 17 to 19 August. The theme of this International Symposium was “Food Science for Daily Living via Innovation and Convergence”.

Miro Smriga, ICAAS CEO, spoke about the differences between central sensing of dietary glutamate and the brain glutamate neurotransmission. Other speakers focused more on amino acid used in enteral and parenteral nutrition and also on the applications of arginine, lysine and glutamate to formulate flavors.

Tue, 2016-03-22
Vienna
22 March 2016: ICAAS General Assembly,Vienna

On March 22, ICAAS members gathered in Vienna (Austria) for the 2016 ICAAS annual board and general meetings. The participants discussed scientific activity conducted during 2015, especially ICAAS-sponsored clinical studies of arginine and leucine. Also, the members analyzed the “9th Amino Acid Assessment Workshop” (Paris, Oct. 2015) including the impact that Workshop may have upon future use of arginine, leucine and tryptophan in human nutrition.

In addition, the ICAAS members reviewed ongoing regulatory issues world-wide and discussed activity plan for 2016. Among others, attention was paid to the cooperation with US Pharmacopeia in order to modernize FCC monographs for branched-chain amino acids, as well as to regulatory activity in Brazil, Europe and China.

Vienna provided a splendid background for the whole meeting and the participants agreed to meet again next year in Asia.

Thu, 2015-11-26
Malaysia
On 26th Nov. 2015, ICAAS Japan sponsored and organized in Putrajaya (Malaysia) a Workshop entitled “Actual status and efforts in amino acid and protein nutrition for children in ASEAN countries”.

This event was one of the disseminating activities initiated by the “Science of Breast Feeding in Asia” (2013). The Workshop was chaired by Dr. Fumio Endo (Kumamoto University, Japan) and started with an excellent lecture by Dr. Shiro Matsumoto (Kumamoto Univ.), who was one of the original organizers of the “Science of Breast Feeding in Asia”. This time, he presented on “Clinical treatment and biomarker profile with amino acids”.

The main focus of the Workshop in Putrajaya was on branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and therefore ICAAS Japan gladly welcomed Dr. Yoshiharu Shimomura (Nagoya University, Japan) who is the Vice-President of Japan Society of Nutrition and Food Science and one of the world leading BCAA experts. His lecture was entitled, “Physiological functions of BCAA as the essential nutrients and the safety as supplements”.

Prof. Shimomura’s message on the safety and efficacy of BCAAs made a great impact on the invited regulatory authorities and academic participants from several southeast Asian countries. The Workshop successfully ended by discussion on the current status of BCAA research and amino acid use across the ASEAN region.

Very importantly, ICAAS Japan also organized an educational seminar on amino acids, specifically for the members of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia. ICAAS Japan members invited expert speakers from abroad to help the Ministry experts in understanding the framework of amino acid uses.

Sat, 2015-06-27
Shinagwwam Tokyo
On the 27th of June, ICAAS Japan branch hold the 20th memorial Amino Acid Seminar in Shinagawa, Tokyo. More than 60 amino acid experts from academia and medical practice participated in the event.

Three original lectures (see below) were held, focusing on physiological functions of small food peptides and relationship between amino acids and adult disease. Special attention was put on the role of amino acid in nutrition of elderly and in promotion of healthy aging.

After the session, ICAAS Japan organized a party celebrating all twenty previous Seminars making a ground for continuous networking among amino acid experts in Japan.

Lectures:
Origin of essential amino acids: The revolution of nutrition and the origin of essentiality of amino acids-
by Dr. Hiroaki Oda,
Department of Applied Molecular Biosciences at Nagoya University

Physiological function of peptides derived from food through the hormones in digestive tubes. by Dr. Hiroshi Hara Research Group of Food Science Laboratory of Nutritional Biochemistry

Relationship between amino acids and adult diseases: A goal for a society of healthy longevity – by Dr. Osamu Tochikubo
Yokohama City University Graduate school of Medicine

Wed, 2015-06-03
The Korean Society for Food Science and Technology has invited ICAAS to make a general introduction to amino acid science intended for the participants in the Annual Meeting (June 3-5; Busan (South Korea)).

Dr. Miro Smriga presented the outline of ICAAS activities and talked about the key amino acids, their nutritional benefits, requirement levels and safety. About 100 participants, from diverse Korean food and pharmaceutical companies participated in the presentation and asked numerous questions related to food/dietary supplement applications of amino acids. Key questions were directed to sport applications, sarcopenia, as well as some semi-essential amino acids such as arginine and glutamine.

Fri, 2015-02-20
Tokyo
The next ICAAS AGM will take place in Tokyo on Friday, 20th February 2014

Thu, 2015-11-26
Malaysia
On 26th Nov. 2015, ICAAS Japan sponsored and organized in Putrajaya (Malaysia) a Workshop entitled “Actual status and efforts in amino acid and protein nutrition for children in ASEAN countries”.

This event was one of the disseminating activities initiated by the “Science of Breast Feeding in Asia” (2013). The Workshop was chaired by Dr. Fumio Endo (Kumamoto University, Japan) and started with an excellent lecture by Dr. Shiro Matsumoto (Kumamoto Univ.), who was one of the original organizers of the “Science of Breast Feeding in Asia”. This time, he presented on “Clinical treatment and biomarker profile with amino acids”.

The main focus of the Workshop in Putrajaya was on branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and therefore ICAAS Japan gladly welcomed Dr. Yoshiharu Shimomura (Nagoya University, Japan) who is the Vice-President of Japan Society of Nutrition and Food Science and one of the world leading BCAA experts. His lecture was entitled, “Physiological functions of BCAA as the essential nutrients and the safety as supplements”.

Prof. Shimomura’s message on the safety and efficacy of BCAAs made a great impact on the invited regulatory authorities and academic participants from several southeast Asian countries. The Workshop successfully ended by discussion on the current status of BCAA research and amino acid use across the ASEAN region.

Very importantly, ICAAS Japan also organized an educational seminar on amino acids, specifically for the members of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia. ICAAS Japan members invited expert speakers from abroad to help the Ministry experts in understanding the framework of amino acid uses.

Fri, 2015-02-20
Tokyo
The 2015 ICAAS General Annual Meeting was organized in Courtyard Marriott Tokyo Station Hotel (Tokyo, Japan) on February 20. Directors and representatives of the member companies participated in the meeting to discuss activity during the last year as well as new strategic directions for 2015. The main attention was given to the expanding research projects on amino acids safety (arginine, leucine and methionine clinical studies), upcoming 9th Amino Acid Assessment Workshop sponsored by ICAAS (Oct. 15-16, 2015) and ICAAS involvement in TIMES consortium applying for the EU Horizon 2020 research grant (nutrition for elderly). In addition, the participants discussed regulatory hurdles in several regions, notably EU and Brazil and exchanged information on amino acid specifications. The next (2016) Annual Meeting is planned for February 2016 in Europe.

Thu, 2014-08-21
Brazilia, Brazil
On August 21, ICAAS co-organized with the Brazilian Ministry of Health (ANVISA) a day-long Workshop focused on safety and quality of amino acids (Brasilia, Brazil). The Workshop was attended by almost 120 members of the local industry, trade associations and government officials.
Academic speakers (Profs. J. Fernstrom (Pittsburg, USA), C. Moinard (Paris, France) and Y.Shimomura (Nagoya, Japan)) summarized clinical safety data for 14 most used amino acids, while Dr. M. Smriga (ICAAS) emphasized the importance of quality control and purity in ensuring safe intake of amino acids from supplements.
From the ANVISA side, Ms. A. Aquino (Director, ANVISA) clearly explained the current regulatory practice in Brazil and the upcoming revisions to Brazilian dietary supplement, sport nutrition and novel food laws. Most of the final discussion focused on how to regulate amino acids in Brazil.
We believe that this event will contribute to proportional and positive rules for the safe use of amino acids in foods and supplement in Brazil; ensuring that only beneficial products are on the shelves.

Fri, 2014-02-28
New York City, New York, USA
The 9th annual general meeting of ICAAS was held in downtown New York City on February 28. The participating member companies approved a new budget and decided on the 2014 -2015 action plan that includes ambitious scientific projects as well as specific regulatory and quality steps around the world.

Tue, 2013-11-19
上海、中国
A one-day International Amino Acid Symposium was organized on 19 November 2013 in Shanghai (China). The Symposium was sponsored by the Chinese Biotech Fermentation Industry Association (CBFIA) and ICAAS.

現地の主なコーディネータ（進行役）であるリアル・ニュートリシューティカル社（Real Nutriceuticals Ltd.）は、バイオテクノロジー及び食品産業界から200名以上が参加したこのイベントを盛り上げるのに大きな役割を果たし、また2つのテレビ局を含む中国メディアもその様子を報道しました.

シンポジウムはShi氏（CBFIA会長) による中国のアミノ酸業界の現状に関する講演で始まりました。
同氏は2012年における中国のアミノ酸生産が、グルタミン酸ナトリウム及びリジンが90％以上増加したことなどにより330万トンに達したことを強調しました（年率10％増）。
同氏はその他にも成功例を挙げると同時に、さまざまな種類のアミノ酸の生産を増やす必要性や研究開発分野でのリーダーシップ不足、設備の近代化の遅れ、不十分な国際化について解決する必要がある問題であることも指摘しました。
これに続きRogers博士がICAASを紹介し、Smriga博士がヒトのアミノ酸の品質規格や安全性に関するICAASの取り組みにスポットを当てました。

Wang氏（リアル・ニュートリシューティカル社 会長）は中国のアミノ酸販売の問題について説明し、Chen教授（天津科技大学）は中国におけるアミノ酸基準の欠如やアミノ酸の利用に影響を及ぼす食品法の改訂作業等に代表される問題点について明確に指摘しました。

本イベントのハイライトは、学術的プレゼンテーション（作成者はICAAS顧問のElango教授（カナダ）とMorris氏（米国）、およびJian博士（中国アミノ酸技術サービスセンター：China Amino Acid Technical Service Centre）で、アミノ酸の効能、安全性、生産性に焦点を当てたものでした。

本シンポジウムは国営テレビ局や中国の全国紙を含む中国メディアの関心をよび、ダイナミックな大市場でのアミノ酸の品質管理の推進に貢献することができました。また、Wang氏及びWu博士（前職：中国化学製薬工業協会 事務局長）の著書である“Amino Acids – Root of Health”が紹介され、イベントの最後を飾りました。

Sun, 2013-10-06
ガルベストン、テキサス、アメリカ
ICAASは2013年10月6日、ガルベストン（テキサス州）で加齢及びアミノ酸代謝に関するシンポジウムを開催しました。このシンポジウムは第13回アミノ酸、ペプチド、タンパク質国際会議のハイライトであり、世界中から約100名の専門家が参加しました。
ICAASの科学顧問であるLuc Cynober教授（パリ）とDennis Bier教授（ヒューストン）が4時間のプレゼンテーション及びディスカッションで議長を務めました。シンポジウムはフカガワ・ナオミ教授（バーモント州バーリントン）による高齢者へのアミノ酸補給の効果及び安全性に関する現在の科学文献レビューで始まりしました。個々のアミノ酸の必要性やそれが加齢によって変化する可能性について、一般には余り理解されていないことが示されました。Elena Volpi教授（テキサス州A&M大学）は、アミノ酸とタンパク質の両方を対象にした自身の研究について説明し、一日のアミノ酸摂取の適切なタイミングにも触れました。Morley博士（ミズーリ州セントルイス）は現行のフィールド定義や客観的エンドポイントの問題について説明をおこない、Wayne Campbell博士（インディアナ州ウェスト・ラファイエット）は高齢かつ虚弱体質の個人の上限値および一日所要量のデータ不足に関して詳しく語りました。最後に、Phil Atherton教授（英国、ノッティンガム）は現在取り組んでいる必須アミノ酸を用いた研究の概要を説明しました。Atherton教授は、高齢者における筋肉量の維持の効果をアミノ酸とタンパク質で比較しながら説明し、聴衆の関心を引きました。同氏によると、アミノ酸はタンパク質より安価で、全タンパク質の代替物として適切な代謝やタンパク質に匹敵する効果が望めます。最後のディスカッションでは、例えば認識力や免疫システムの維持に関すること等、高齢者におけるアミノ酸の非筋肉への効果に関する研究が乏しいことが指摘され、ICAASに対してこの大切な分野での将来の研究の方向性が指摘されました。

Thu, 2013-02-28
フランクフルト、ドイツ
2013年2月28日、ICAAS年次会員総会が、フランクフルト・マリオットホテル（ドイツ・フランクフルト）で開催されました。ICAASのプレジデント、CEO、事務局、会員企業の代表者16名が前年度の活動報告と2013年度の活動計画について話し合いました。とりわけ、本総会では第13回アミノ酸、ペプチド、タンパク質国際会議の期間中にシンポジウムを開催すること（テキサス州ガルベストン、2013年10月6日）、中華人民共和国において品質の高いアミノ酸の安全な使用を推進するために中国バイオテク発酵産業協会（CBFIA）との共同事業を進めることで合意しました。本総会での議論の多くは現行の科学研究や将来の計画に関するものでした。
年次総会の最後は、Van Den Eede氏（欧州委員会）の遺伝子組み換え生物の規制枠組に関するプレゼンテーションがおこなわれ、公式ディナーが催されました。

Fri, 2012-03-02
東京
2012年 年次会議（東京、3月2日）では、柴田 克己教授（滋賀県立大学）及び加藤 久典 教授（東京大学)がICAAS会員とゲストに対してトリプトファン及びロイシンの上限値に関する研究について講演をおこない、研究対象のアミノ酸は栄養的に必須であるため通常の食生活で摂取しなければならないことを強調しました。

上限値に関して、柴田博士は複数の健常女性におけるトリプトファンの用量を検査し、広範囲のトリプトファン代謝産物について評価しました。同氏は3-ヒドロキシキヌレニンの尿中排泄量の飽和度に基づき、食品や栄養補助食品に含有されるトリプトファンの補給について、初めて代謝の上限値を提唱しました。

加藤博士はまず、アミノ酸の過剰摂取による副作用が食事から摂取するタンパク質のレベルに依存することを強調しました。同氏はトランスクリプトミクス及びメタボロミクス等の新しい実験技術を利用したげっ歯動物におけるロイシン補給の研究について説明をおこないました。加藤教授の遺伝子マーカー・パネルによると、雄ラットにおける低タンパク質（6％）でのNOAEL投与量として2％（w/w）のロイシン食餌性補給を示すという結論に達しました。さらに、同氏は「オミックス」統合解析が単一のアミノ酸の大量摂取について評価できる強力なツールであると述べました

Abstract:
On November 29, a presentation on ICAAS scientific activities as well as amino acids regulations in the USA and European Union was made by Dr. Miro Smriga (ICAAS, CEO) in Lima, Peru. Thirty-five participants from the Peruvian food industry and the Ministry of Health of Peru attended the 1-hour-long presentation.Questions ranged from intake pattern of various amino acids to quality control of both food additives and amino acids in supplements. Some participants also debated the effectiveness of branched-chain amino acids and arginine in health and disease. Several participants expressed interest in the value of essential amino acids to improve value of protein nutrition in rural areas of Peru.

Thu, 2011-09-29
European Parliament, Strasbourg, France
Risk governance has changed remarkably over the last 100 years or so and continues to evolve form a purely reactive process based on demonstrated, significant levels of harms, to processes which attempt to counter future harm by making the risk governance more precautionary in nature.

However, the current EU regulation tendency is to move from precaution towards better or smarter regulation as part of the regulatory impact assessment programme. The reform of comitology (new article 291) and the inter-institutional agreement have changed the dynamic and the regulatory interplay between the EU institutions;
This workshop includes contributions from STOA and the JURI and ENVI committees of the European Parliament, as well as from the European Commission and external experts on risk governance.

Mon, 2011-05-09
ケベック、カナダ
食品表示に関する食品規格委員会（CCFL）の第39回会議が、2011年5月9－13日の日程でカナダ・ケベックにて開催されました。約100か国の加盟国の代表者や非政府組織（NGO）から多数のオブザーバーが参加しました。本委員会は、新しいバイオテクノロジーが作り出す食品を含む世界中の食品表示に関する主要な問題に対処しています。
この特定分野において本委員会ではステップ5.8の採択について、新しいバイオテクノロジーが作り出す食品の表示に関する食品規格委員会（CAC）との調整文書を提案しました。さらに、ナトリウム／塩の表示及び栄養素や強調表示について議論をおこないました。昨年設置されたWGが広範囲の条件リストを提案しており、「無添加」とはナトリウム塩、ナトリウム塩を含む原材料（醤油、ピクルス等)およびその他の2つの条件を満たす食品を示すことを明らかにしています。強調表示については、強調表示成分の25%削減の閾値を維持しました。

On December 17, the Japanese chapter of ICAAS organized in Tokyo a 3-hour-long scientific seminar devoted to selected amino acids. Fifty participants were welcomed by the secretary of ICAAS Japan (Mr. Kobayashi), and thereafter attentively listened to a lecture on tryptophan metabolism and higher brain function, given by Professor Hiroshi Funakoshi from the Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine.

Professor Funakoshi concentrated mainly on the role of the tryptophan metabolite, tryptophan　2,3-dioxygenase (TDO); the key enzyme in tryptophan metabolism in the brain. Recent studies indicate that TDO accelerates neurogenesis and emotional control.

Thereafter, Professor Toshio Hayashi from Nagoya University, School of Medicine described the recent research on effects of citrulline and arginine in arteriosclerosis using both rabbit and transgenic mouse models he developed a hypothesis that the positive effects of both citrulline and arginine in animal models of arteriosclerosis may be related to nitric oxide production. Both presentations were followed by lively discussion and a small social function.

King’s College, London
Following recent major food safety management issues, such as BSE in cattle and dioxin contamination, food RM has become increasingly precautionary, moving from “modern” RM to “post-modern” RM.

The EU General Food Law of 2002 has been followed by regulations on ingredients, novel ingredients, additives and supplements and horizontal regulations on consumer information and health claims. Thus recent regulatory initiatives aim at controlling health-benefit claims for supplements and fortified foods, and setting upper supplement intake limits. However, it is found that the major risk to the consumer arises from inadequate quality controls rather that potential overdose or misinformation. Specific amino acids have been used to improve sport performance, to enhance the quality of protein, improve immune functions, reduce stress, etc.

The International Council on Amino Acid Science (ICAAS) was set up to address problems such as upper limits and quality standards and to contribute to the risk governance process. ICAAS sponsored research has indicated that the major amino acids have a high margin of safety and that upper limits cannot be established using conventional risk assessment methods. The reason for this arises from a well-controlled homeostasis of amino acids in the human body, since they are not only elements of a normal diet but also make up a substantial part of human tissue. ICAAS is currently devoting attention to establishing globally applicable specification standards on amino acids used in the human food supply. The research results should contribute to the evolving risk governance in this field.

Presentation – Dr. Michael Rogers, ICAAS President
The Abstract