Illustration: An illustration explaining how Meiji employees analyze and evaluate product nutrition and use the results to develop and improve our products. Illustration: An illustration explaining how Meiji employees analyze and evaluate product nutrition and use the results to develop and improve our products.

The Meiji Nutritional Profiling System (Meiji NPS)
provides clear answers to the question:
What is the nutritional value of this food?

What nutritional issues are we trying to solve?

Today, overweight or obesity caused by over-eating and unbalanced diets, have resulted in lifestyle-related diseases, and become a serious nutritional issue around the world. On the other hand, stunted growth, undernutrition, and frailty* have increased, due to insufficient protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Besides people’s health, these issues may bring significant social and economic impacts . They are therefore positioned as important issues to be addressed at the global level.
If we wish to resolve these issues, it is vital that we make it easier for people to maintain nutritionally balanced diets. For food companies like ourselves, this entails both increasing the nutritional value of our products, and providing consumers with clear information about these nutritional values. For that reason, at Meiji we have developed the Meiji Nutritional Profiling System (Meiji NPS).

* "Frailty" refers to the decline in physical and cognitive health associated with aging, such as muscle weakness and cognitive function decline. Frailty is generally seen in the older population, and as the level of frailty progresses, it may require long-term care. However, with adequate intervention, frailty can be reversed.

Illustration: A deficit of protein, fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients leads to stunted growth or undernutrition, while an excessive intake of energy, sugar, fat, salt, etc. leads to overweight or obesity, representing the nutrition-related health issues faced by society. Illustration: A deficit of protein, fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients leads to stunted growth or undernutrition, while an excessive intake of energy, sugar, fat, salt, etc. leads to overweight or obesity, representing the nutrition-related health issues faced by society.

What is the Meiji Nutritional Profiling System (Meiji NPS) ?

A nutritional profiling system (NPS) measures the nutrients in food scientifically and rates the overall nutritional value of the food and products. Today, there are different NPSs in use worldwide, but the "Meiji NPS" is unique in that it considers the fact that people face different health issues depending on their age and where they live. "Meiji NPS" is the collective name for nutritional profiling systems for various age groups. In June 2023, we created the first system, which considers the health issues in Japan. In the future, we plan to develop an NPS that considers dietary habits in different regions of the world, and addresses the health concerns of all age groups.

Features of
Meiji NPS

  • Accounts for different nutritional issues at different life stages
  • Accounts for different dietary lifestyles in different regions
Illustration: An illustration explaining how Meiji NPS accounts for different nutritional issues at different life stages, such as growth and development in early and late childhood, lifestyle related diseases and thinness of young women in adulthood, and frailty in old age. It also explains we do not intend to create an NPS for infants less than three years old. Illustration: An illustration explaining how Meiji NPS accounts for different nutritional issues at different life stages, such as growth and development in early and late childhood, lifestyle related diseases and thinness of young women in adulthood, and frailty in old age. It also explains we do not intend to create an NPS for infants less than three years old.

Meiji NPS for adults


Meiji NPS for adults enumerates the nutrients that adults should take care to consume in sufficient quantities—such as protein and dietary fiber—as well as the nutrients that adults should take care not to consume in excessive quantities—such as sugars, saturated fatty acids, and salt. They are scored according to the amount of nutrients found in these foods.

Meiji NPS for older adults


The Meiji NPS for older adults is based on the Meiji NPS for adults with modifications such as not limiting saturated fatty acid intake. It focuses on frailty, which requires careful attention in the older population, and is based on saturated fatty acid intake, and research on frailty in the Japanese population.

What do we want to achieve with Meiji NPS?

We will utilize Meiji NPS to develop and improve products with higher nutritional value. Additionally, in the future, we would like to provide customers with information on the nutritional value of each product evaluated by Meiji NPS and eating habits help them make better food choices. We will contribute to our customers and society by solving nutritional problems with Meiji NPS.

Illustration: An illustration explaining how nutritional profiling contributes to customers and society by solving nutritional issues, such as providing customers with information regarding nutritional values and optimal eating methods, and using the profiling systems to develop and improve Meiji's own products. Illustration: An illustration explaining how nutritional profiling contributes to customers and society by solving nutritional issues, such as providing customers with information regarding nutritional values and optimal eating methods, and using the profiling systems to develop and improve Meiji's own products.

Special Features

Our special features contain wide-ranging content related to “nutrition.”

INTERVIEW
Nutritional Issues and Meiji NPS

A photo of Kenji Fuma.

Kenji Fuma
CEO of Neural Inc. /
Adjunct Professor of Shinshu University

An expert in sustainability management, Kenji Fuma has a deep knowledge of nutrition profiling systems. We spoke to Fuma about various topics related to nutritional issues and Meiji NPS.


A photo of Kenji Fuma.