Agriture prototyped a \"dried maca\" made from domestically grown maca as the raw material. Maca (scientific name: Lepidium meyenii) is a plant of the Brassicaceae family, known as native to the Peruvian Andes highlands, but cultivation is now spreading in Japan too. The root is developed into materials for health foods, supplements, and beverages in shredded or powdered form, while the leaf, cut in a shape resembling mizuna, is developed into materials for soups, blended teas, and furikake.<\/p>\n
For this prototype, at our own processing facility in Kyoto Prefecture, we gave the raw material careful pre-processing, then dried the root and leaf separately at low temperature, turning them into materials with two finishing lines by application. Because it contains glucosinolate-type compounds characteristic of Brassicaceae, minerals such as iron, zinc, and calcium, and amino acids, it's a material drawing attention as a plant of high nutritional value. At Agriture we avoid overstatement and design the material with a focus on usability and functional insights.<\/p>\n
\u30fbRoot: shredded \/ powder-processing available<\/strong> \u30fbLeaf: coarse-crush to cut available<\/strong> As functional plants with a positioning similar to maca, examples includeDried Moringa<\/a>andDried Ashitaba<\/a>Moringa is \"a leafy green that supplies multiple vitamins and minerals at once,\" ashitaba is \"a leafy green that carries chalcone-type components and green-juice culture,\" and maca is \"a root-type functional plant centered on the amino acids and minerals of the root\"\u2014each with a different axis for blend design. In series design of health foods, supplements, and blended teas, combining these functional plants lets you broaden a product line that draws on each material's individuality.<\/p>\n Because both root and leaf can be finished from the same raw material, we also field requests for parallel deployment such as \"powder the root for health foods, tea-bag the leaf.\" Centered on dried maca, maca powder, and leaf blending materials, we'll walk with you from the prototype stage through specification design matched to your product concept and on to OEM production.<\/p>\n For this prototype, we prepared three basic-line forms: shredded and powdered root, and coarse-crushed to cut leaf. Depending on the final product's application, the specifications can be combined as follows.<\/p>\n Because root and leaf require different drying conditions, we switch the processing profile depending on which you lead with. When leading with the root as the main material for a health food, we finish under conditions that prioritize the retention of glucosinolate-type components and color and aroma; when commercializing the leaf, we finish under conditions that retain color and green aroma.<\/p>\n Maca has a certain recognition in Japan as a Peru-native functional plant, and its domestic production adds depth to the material concept. Here we organize the directions we most frequently field at Agriture.<\/p>\n From a Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Act standpoint, we recommend avoiding definitive claims of specific effects (fatigue recovery, stamina boost, beauty effects, and so on) and instead designing around material-based messaging such as \"a plant of high nutritional value that draws attention for containing amino acids and minerals\" or \"an Andes-native functional plant.\"<\/p>\n Maca has a strong image as a Peruvian material, but cultivation is advancing in Japan too, and the material concept of \"domestic maca\" is an easy-to-differentiate angle in the health-food and OEM market. You can bring the strengths that are hard to achieve with imported materials\u2014\"a visible face of the growing region,\" \"designable traceability,\" and \"processing completed domestically\"\u2014into the story design of the final product.<\/p>\n At Agriture, we advance prototypes under a system that manages domestic maca in-house through drying, grinding, and packaging at our own processing facility in Kyoto Prefecture. Growing region, harvest season, and<\/p>\n We accept prototypes from 1 kg of raw material. In any specification\u2014root only, leaf only, or both; shredded, powder, or coarse-crush\u2014you can test multiple conditions in parallel from small quantities, so you can consult us from the early stage before the product concept is set. Full production starts from 10 kg, and we work out the sourcing lot, delivery timing, and packaging form in individual consultation.<\/p>\n The processing facility is our own in Kyoto Prefecture. We can accommodate drying temperature, a best-before date of about 6 months from shipment, and commercial bulk, small bags, sticks, and light-blocking packaging.<\/p>\n Maca can be used on its own as a main material for health foods, but combining it with other functional materials broadens the product concept.Dried Moringa<\/a>(a vitamin- and mineral-type leafy green),Dried Ashitaba<\/a>(a chalcone-type leafy green),Ashitaba powder<\/a>(a fine powder for green juice and supplements),Dried mugwort<\/a>(a Japanese-herb type), and others\u2014blend designs combining these can be advanced together with a single material-supply source, which is a strength.<\/p>\n We also field requests for product designs that multiply the individuality of materials\u2014such as a functional powder mix combining maca, moringa, and ashitaba; a domestic blended tea of maca \u00d7 mugwort \u00d7 Japanese herbs; or a protein drink starring maca powder. Let's work out the final product's specifications, lot, and schedule together from the prototype stage.<\/p>\n Detailed specifications, use scenes, and FAQs for dried maca and maca powder are also provided on each product page.<\/p>\n Agriture also handles drying and powdering OEM of functional plants such as domestic maca and prototyping of commercial raw materials. If your company is interested in developing health foods, supplements, blended teas, confectionery, and more that draw on maca, please feel free to consult us.<\/p>\n
The pale yellow-white to yellow-brown roots are washed with their skins on and processed into both a shredded cut and a further-ground powder specification. The shredded form suits materials for tea bags used in decoctions, soups, and health teas, while the powder suits maca powder for blending into health foods, supplements, beverages, and confectionery. As a part containing amino acids, minerals, and glucosinolate-type components, the root is a material used in a leading role in health-food materials.<\/p>\n
The maca leaf has a shape resembling mizuna and is finished with the same drying profile as common leafy vegetables. In coarse-crush to cut form, it can be used as a material for blended teas, soup ingredients, furikake, and health teas. As a part less distributed on the market than the root, it's an easy-to-propose form as a material for a differentiated brand that draws on the leaf.<\/p>\nPrototype specifications and using each form<\/h2>\n
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Ideas for OEM and product development using maca<\/h2>\n
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The material concept of \"domestic maca\"<\/h2>\n
About the minimum prototype lot and processing facility<\/h2>\n
Combining with other functional materials<\/h2>\n
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