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{{Short description|Japanese microbiologist}}
{{expand Japanese|topic=bio|date=August 2019}}

{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Minoru Shirota
| name = Minoru Shirota
| image = Minoru Shirota.jpg
| birth_name = {{nihongo|代田 稔|Shirota Minoru}}
| birth_name = {{nihongo|代田 稔|Shirota Minoru}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1899|4|23|df=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1899|4|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Iida, Nagano|Iida]], [[Nagano]], Japan
| birth_place = [[Iida, Nagano|Tatsuoka, Nagano]], Japan
| death_date = {{death date and age|1982|3|10|1899|4|23|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1982|3|10|1899|4|23|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Konkaikōmyō-ji]], [[Kyoto]], Japan
| death_place = [[Tokyo]], Japan
| occupation = Microbiologist
| occupation = Microbiologist
| known_for = Invention of [[Yakult]]
| known_for = Invention of [[Yakult]]
}}
}}
{{nihongo|'''Minoru Shirota'''|代田 稔|Shirota Minoru|extra=April 23, 1899 &ndash; March 10, 1982}} was a [[Japan]]ese microbiologist. He was the inventor of [[Yakult]], the [[yogurt]]-like [[probiotic]] drink containing ''[[Lactobacillus]] casei'' strain Shirota.<ref name=yakult>{{cite web|title=Our history|url=http://www.yakult.com.my/html/our_history.html|website=Yakult|publisher=YAKULT (M) Sdn. Bhd|accessdate=9 July 2014}}</ref>
{{nihongo|'''Minoru Shirota'''|代田 稔|Shirota Minoru|extra=April 23, 1899 &ndash; March 10, 1982}} was a Japanese microbiologist. In the 1930
Shirota identified a strain of [[lactic acid bacteria]] that is part of normal [[gut flora]] that he originally called ''[[Lactobacillus casei]] Shirota,'' which appeared to help contain the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut. The strain was later reclassified as ''[[Lactobacillus paracasei]] Shirota''.<ref name=EFSA>{{cite journal |last1=EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies |title=Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota and maintenance of the upper respiratory tract defence against pathogens by maintaining immune defences pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) N |journal=EFSA Journal |date=October 2010 |volume=8 |issue=10 |pages=1860 |doi=10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1860|doi-access= }} {{open access}} Lay summary: {{cite news |last1=Wallop |first1=Harry |title=Probiotic drinks do not aid health, Europe says |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/8074182/Probiotic-drinks-do-not-aid-health-Europe-says.html |work=The Telegraph |date=20 October 2010}}</ref>


He founded the company [[Yakult Honsha]] in 1935 to sell beverages containing the strain branded [[Yakult]].<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1=Malago|editor-first1=Joshua J.|editor-last2=Koninkx|editor-first2=Jos. F.J.G.|editor-last3=Marinsek-Logar|editor-first3= R. |title=Probiotic Bacteria and Enteric Infections Cytoprotection by Probiotic Bacteria|year=2011|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|location=Dordrecht|isbn=978-9-4007-0386-5|page=6|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nv8xBMWOe4EC&pg=PA6|chapter=Chapter 1: Probiotics: From the Ancient Wisdom to the Actual Therapeutical and Neutraceutical Perspective|last1=Caramia|first1=Giuseppe|last2=Silvi|first2=Stefania}}</ref>
== Biography ==


He died in [[Tokyo]], Japan in 1982.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}
Shirota was born in Inadani, a village near River Inadani Tenryuu in the area Iida, [[Nagano, Nagano|Western Nagano]], Japan. His family was prosperous in paper and silk worm-rearing business. His ambition turned to medicine as a number of children died in his village due to infectious diseases and malnutrition. In 1921 he entered [[Kyoto Imperial University]]'s School of Medicine. In 1940 he earned a PhD in medicine, and joined the faculty of medicine at Kyoto University. During the [[Japanese invasion of China]], he was appointed as a military doctor. Then he became a professor at the University Medical Harupin, China. After the war he returned to Japan to establish Shirota Research Centre in 1939. In 1950 he started Yakult company. In 1955 he moved its company headquarters to Tokyo.<ref>{{cite web|title=Success in the culture of intraintestinal lactic acid bacteria for the first time in the world by Minoru Shirota|url=http://www.japanese-greatest.com/biology-medicine/yakult.html|publisher=The World’s Greatest Japanese|accessdate=9 July 2014|date=1 March 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=THE STORY OF YAKULT FOUNDER|url=http://usahawan-yakult.blogspot.in/2011/12/story-of-dr-minoru-shirota-yakult.html|website=Y.A.K.U.L.T|accessdate=9 July 2014}}</ref>

== Career ==
Inspired by the writings of [[Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov]], Shirota developed a stronger strain of [[lactic acid bacteria]] which might work to destroy the harmful bacteria living in the intestines, and therefore improve and maintain the health of human beings.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Brown|first1=AC|last2=Valiere|first2=A|title=Probiotics and medical nutrition therapy.|journal=Nutrition in Clinical Care|year=2004|volume=7|issue=2|pages=56-68|pmid=15481739|pmc=1482314}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=editors|first1=Joshua J. Malago, Jos. F.J.G. Koninkx, R. Marinsek-Logar,|title=Probiotic Bacteria and Enteric Infections Cytoprotection by Probiotic Bacteria|year=2011|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|location=Dordrecht|isbn=978-9-4007-0386-5|page=6|url=http://books.google.co.in/books?id=Nv8xBMWOe4EC&dq}}</ref> In 1930, Shirota was working in a [[microbiology]] lab at [[Kyoto Imperial University]]'s School of Medicine when he became the first in the world to succeed in culturing a strain of lactic acid bacteria beneficial to human health. This bacterium was named ''Lactobacillus casei'' strain ''shirota'' after Shirota.<ref name="Philosophy">{{cite web|url=http://www.yakult.co.jp/english/company/philosophy.html|title=Philosophy & Company Profile|publisher=Yakult Honsha Co.|accessdate=23 June 2014}}</ref>

The result of his efforts was the successful culturing of ''Lactobacillus casei'' strain ''shirota''. Shirota then began working together with supporters to make a drink incorporating the strain. This led to the development of Yakult which was introduced to the market in 1935.<ref name=yakult/><ref name="Philosophy"/>

== Personal life ==

In 1939, Shirota married Yoshie, with whom he had one son. They lived in [[Kamigyō-ku]] in Kyoto. Yoshie died in 1941.

He died in [[Tokyo]], Japan in 1982. Leaving his only son, Francis Shirota also known as "The Young Master Gaho" who migrated to Philippines.


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


{{authority control}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->

| NAME = Shirota, Minoru
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Inventor
| DATE OF BIRTH = April 23, 1899
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Iida, Nagano|Iida]], Nagano, Japan
| DATE OF DEATH = March 10, 1982
| PLACE OF DEATH = [[Konkaikōmyō-ji]], [[Kyoto]], Japan
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shirota, Minoru}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shirota, Minoru}}
[[Category:1899 births]]
[[Category:1899 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:Japanese physicians]]
[[Category:Japanese military doctors]]
[[Category:Japanese microbiologists]]
[[Category:Japanese microbiologists]]
[[Category:People from Iida, Nagano]]
[[Category:Japanese inventors]]

Latest revision as of 14:33, 1 September 2024

Minoru Shirota
Born
代田 稔 (Shirota Minoru)

(1899-04-23)23 April 1899
Tatsuoka, Nagano, Japan
Died10 March 1982(1982-03-10) (aged 82)
Tokyo, Japan
OccupationMicrobiologist
Known forInvention of Yakult

Minoru Shirota (代田 稔, Shirota Minoru, April 23, 1899 – March 10, 1982) was a Japanese microbiologist. In the 1930 Shirota identified a strain of lactic acid bacteria that is part of normal gut flora that he originally called Lactobacillus casei Shirota, which appeared to help contain the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut. The strain was later reclassified as Lactobacillus paracasei Shirota.[1]

He founded the company Yakult Honsha in 1935 to sell beverages containing the strain branded Yakult.[2]

He died in Tokyo, Japan in 1982.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (October 2010). "Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota and maintenance of the upper respiratory tract defence against pathogens by maintaining immune defences pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) N". EFSA Journal. 8 (10): 1860. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1860. Open access icon Lay summary: Wallop, Harry (20 October 2010). "Probiotic drinks do not aid health, Europe says". The Telegraph.
  2. ^ Caramia, Giuseppe; Silvi, Stefania (2011). "Chapter 1: Probiotics: From the Ancient Wisdom to the Actual Therapeutical and Neutraceutical Perspective". In Malago, Joshua J.; Koninkx, Jos. F.J.G.; Marinsek-Logar, R. (eds.). Probiotic Bacteria and Enteric Infections Cytoprotection by Probiotic Bacteria. Dordrecht: Springer Science & Business Media. p. 6. ISBN 978-9-4007-0386-5.
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