<국립부경대, 건강기능식품 핵심 ‘수산 고시형 기능성 원료’ 국산화 나선다> Pukyong National University Advances Localization of Core 'Aquatic Officially Notified Functional Ingredients' for Health Functional Foods

Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Launch 14 Billion KRW 'Customized Technology Development Project for the Fisheries Food Industry'

Pukyong National University.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Domestic universities and companies are collaborating to promote a large-scale research and development project aimed at domestic production of functional seafood ingredients, which currently have a high dependence on overseas imports.

Pukyong National University has been selected for this year's customized technology development project for the seafood food industry by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The project, titled "Development of Officially Recognized Health Functional Foods Derived from Seafood and Development of Functional Labeled Foods," is being led by Professor Seungmok Cho (Food Engineering).

Research Director Professor Jo Seungmok.

This project aims to develop various functional ingredients for health functional foods from seafood such as fish, shellfish, and crustaceans, replacing imported seafood functional ingredients?which exceed 70% dependence?with domestically produced ones, thereby driving the development of the domestic seafood food industry.

Approximately 14 billion KRW, including 13.5 billion KRW in government funding, will be invested in this project through 2026. Along with the lead institution Pukyong National University, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Jeju National University, Korea Food Research Institute, Dong-Eui University, Gyeongsang National University, Korea Health Functional Food Association, S&D, Novarex, and Bapsnu will participate as joint research and development institutions.

Each institution plans to register at least three officially recognized functional ingredients derived from seafood that have various functions such as sleep health, immunity, gut health, blood sugar control, antioxidant effects, and skin health, and to develop more than 15 types of health functional foods and functional labeled foods utilizing these ingredients.

Officially recognized functional ingredients are considered key to creating a related industrial ecosystem because anyone can produce products applying these ingredients if they meet the specified standards and criteria.

Accordingly, each institution will systematically conduct research on manufacturing seafood-derived extracts, functional evaluation, identification of promising materials, functional evaluation of promising materials, verification of mechanisms of action, functional comparison, process development, standardization, safety research, and economic evaluation.

Professor Seungmok Cho, the lead researcher at Pukyong National University, stated, "The proportion of officially recognized functional ingredients derived from seafood is very low, accounting for only 16% compared to agricultural products. Through this research project, we expect to develop officially recognized functional ingredients accessible to everyone, which will help increase fishermen's income and revitalize small and medium seafood food companies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.