February 3, 2004

Sale of Food Product for Specified Health Use "IMARK"

In April, Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (Naoya Kakizoe, President & CEO) will launch the sale of "IMARK", a food product for specified health use approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which help reduce neutral fat.
According to the percentage of people with high levels of neutral fat (150mg/dl or more) revealed by the national nutrition survey conducted in fiscal 2001, there are some 30 million people with high levels of neutral fat at present. "IMARK" was developed to help people supplement EPA and DHA in their everyday lives, as they are difficult to absorb from daily meals. The product primarily targets men and women aged between 50 and 65 who have a special interest in health, comprising an age group with a population of approximately 2 million.
Nissui Group has promoted research & development and commercialization of products focusing on omega-3(*1) derived from fish oil. Through collaborative efforts by Nissui and its Group affiliates, we are currently working on an integrated business based on marine resources, spanning from research & development, to production processing and sales.
Nissui launched a joint EPA research project with Chiba University's School of Medicine in 1979, and a joint EPA development project aimed at EPA commercialization with Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in 1981. In 1990, the production of pharmaceutical ingredient "EPA-E Nissui" was approved, resulting in the birth of Epadel(*2), an EPA preparation sold by Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Nissui makes full use of its function as a producer and is actively engaged in the health products business, in accordance with its management policy to create new value acknowledged by customers through its wealth of knowledge and technology based on marine resources, as it is programmed as a company. Nissui will continue to offer products focusing on omega-3* in the market for health supplements and foods for specified health uses by way of creating and proposing new value, by adapting to social changes and through technological innovation.

*1: Omega-3 refers to omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (EPA and DHA) abundantly found in seafood.
*2: This refers to Epadel S300 and Epadel S600, which are eicosapentaenoic ethylestrenol preparations for the treatment of hyperlipemia and arteriosclerotic obliteration sold by Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. See also http://www.mochida.co.jp/english/pdf/epadel.pdf (PDF format)

Product Name

Product Characteristics

IMARK

- Food for specified health uses: Food designed to fulfill specific health purposes * Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare - Function: Reduction of neutral fat - Form: 100ml bottled drink (to be refrigerated and consumed within 2 months) - Reference Price: 300 yen *Sold in batches of 10 bottles (shipping charge: 500 yen) - Unique processing technology:Utilization of omega-3, in which Nissui's strength lies. - Marketing: Direct marketing (mail order) - Other Products: "Umi no Genki EPA" (health food), Room-temperature food (capsules) 4,200 yen /120 capsules per bottle.