HY Central Research Institute announced on July 22 that it has been designated as the top corporate research institute in the '2026 First Half Excellent Corporate Research Institute' evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The Excellent Corporate Research Institute program is an initiative by the Ministry of Science and ICT to support corporate research institutes with outstanding technological innovation capabilities and research and development (R&D) achievements. A total of 27 research institutes were selected this first half of the year, with a designation period of three years.
HY Central Research Institute was recognized for establishing a research and development system that spans from the discovery of functional materials to human application tests and commercialization. A significant portion of its research personnel is focused on next-generation probiotics and microbiomes, expanding its foundational research capabilities.
The institute has consistently accumulated research achievements. HY has secured six types of individually approved functional materials through research on probiotics and natural products. To date, it has registered 126 patents and published 122 papers in SCI-level journals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has listed five new dietary ingredients (NDIs), including two strains for body fat reduction, as well as those for skin health and anti-inflammatory properties.
Recently, based on its research achievements, HY has been expanding its raw material business. Last year, raw material sales reached 15 billion won, a 27% increase from the previous year. This figure is more than four times the 3.5 billion won recorded in 2020, the business's initial year. Cumulative sales as of 2025 have surpassed 56 billion won. HY anticipates further growth in raw material transactions with the completion of its freeze-drying production facility for probiotics at its Nonsan plant.
Lee Jae-hwan, head of HY Central Research Institute, stated, "This designation as the top corporate research institute is a recognition of our long-accumulated R&D capabilities and technological competitiveness. We aim to contribute to public health through the development of globally competitive functional materials."
HY Central Research Institute, the first corporate research institute in the domestic food industry, was established in 1976 with the goal of domesticating lactic acid bacteria and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. In 1995, it successfully domesticated lactic acid bacteria for the first time in the country and currently operates a library of over 5,100 strains collected and isolated from kimchi and fermented sauces.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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