Furukawa Lab. participates to the Moonshot R&D Program for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries promoted by Bio-oriented technology Research Advancement InstitutioN (BRAIN). We are performing “Development of Technology for Innovative Long-Term Food Storage using Low-Temperature Frozen Milled Hydrogel Powder”.
Background：Utilizing unused foodstuffs is necessary to solve food shotages
Food loss occurs at various stages from production to distribution and consumption. To reduce food loss, it is necessary to establish a social system to utilize unused foodstuffs.
Research contents：Establishment of long-term food preservation technology using cryogenically frozen and crushed hydrogel powder
We believe that if delicious and affordable seasonal food could be preserved for a long period of time, disposal of underutilized foodstuffs becomes disappear. Therefore, in this project, to reduce food loss, we will manufacture hydrogel powder using unused foodstuffs and LNG cryogenic energy (cold energy generated when liquid natural gas vaporizes), establish long-term storage technology in ultra-low temperature warehouses to create added value for unused foodstuffs, and aim to build a social system that promotes ethical consumption
Research and Development Issues
1. Design of an aggregation system for unused foodstuffs
2. Production method of hydrogel powders
3. Study of evaluation method to standardize hydrogel powders
4. Design of long-term storage method for hydrogel powders
5. Design of “delicious” food using hydrogel powders
6. Consideration of promoting ethical consumption of new foodstuffs
Targets by 2030
By 2030, we will establish a research plant to demonstrate the effects of cryogenically freezing and crushing and long-term ultra-low temperature frozen storage and begin manufacturing and long-term storage of hydrogel powder derived from unused foodstuffs. In addition, we will realize a series of processes such as acquiring unused foodstuffs, manufacturing and methods for cooking hydrogel powder, developing food menus, and providing products to consumers on a profitable basis.
Achievements
| Event | Talk-session at Soft 3D Co-creation Consotium Joint-committee – Creating Soft 3D Togerther EXPO | 2023/11/25 |
| Media coverage | （NextTech2050）Freezing and Crushing Fresh Foods Keeps Them Preservable for 10 Years – Yamagata University and Others Cook Them by 3D Printer (生鮮品 凍結粉砕で10年腐らず 山形大など、3Dプリンターで調理) (The Nikkei/日経産業新聞) | 2024/01/19 |
| Media coverage | 10 realizations first discovered through the development of 3D food printers (3Dフードプリンター開発を通して初めて分かった10の気付き) (APPLIED TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD. Technical report Vol. 31/応用技術株式会社 テクニカルレポート Vol. 31) | 2024/03/01 |
| Meeting | 1st Project Consideration Meeting | 2024/04/02 |
| Meeting | 1st Project Progress Meeting | 2024/04/02 |
| Other | Introduced our projects at BCC workshop by Tokyo Gastronomy Innovation Campus | 2024/04/15 |
| Other | Exhibition at FOOD 4 FUTURE | 2024/04/16-18 |
| Media coverage | Japón tiene la llave para acabar con el desperdicio alimentario (Japan holds key to ending food waste) (innovaspain) | 2024/04/25 |
| Other | Exhibition at SusHi Tech TOKYO (Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo) | 2024/04/27-05/26 |
| Meeting | 2nd Project Consideration Meeting | 2024/05/07 |
| Meeting | 2nd Project Progress Meeting | 2024/05/07 |
| Other | Networking event for domestic smart city stakeholders and global stakeholders of SusHi Tech TOKYO 2024 | 2024/05/15 |
| Other | Lecture at the symposium “Printing Festival” – Enjoying A New World with Five Senses (シンポジウム「プリンティングフェスティバル」～五感で楽しむ新世界～) | 2024/05/17 |
| Other | Lecture at the memorial lecture in May held by the Institution of Professional Engineers (公益社団法人 日本技術士会登録 食品技術士センター5月記念講演会) | 2024/05/18 |
| Other | Exhibition and Lecture at Waku Waku EXPO with 19th National Congress on Shokuiku Promotion (ワクワクEXPO with 第19回食育推進全国大会) | 2024/06/01-02 |
| Meeting | Promotion Meeting | 2024/06/07 |
| Meeting | 3rd Project Progress Meeting/ Consideration Meeting | 2024/07/03 |
| Media coverage | “Discover How Food Tech is Integrating into Everyday Life! Report on the Global Food Tech Event ‘F4F'” (食の日常に入り込むフードテックの今を知ろう！世界的フードテックイベント「F4F」リポート) was published in The Cuisine Maganize (料理通信) | 2024/07/08 |
| Meeting | 4th Project Progress Meeting/ Consideration Meeting | 2024/08/07 |
| Other | Exhibited our powders in EXPO Mirai School Festival (EXPOミライ学園祭) | 2024/08/08 |
| Meeting | Extraodinary Progect Progress Meeting/ Consideration Meeting | 2024/08/19 |
| Other | Talked in “Moonshot Interactive Dialogue Shaping 2050 – Episode 1: ‘The Future of Food and Agriculture is Yours to Decide'” (～2050年を創るムーンショット双方向対話 エピソード１「あなたが決める未来の食と農」～) | 2024/08/20 |
| Meeting | 5th Project Progress Meeting/ Consideration Meeting | 2024/09/04 |
| Other | Exhibited our powders and introduced our project in FUTURE FOOD CONNECT 2024 (TG #304) | 2024/09/12 |
| Meeting | Project Progress Meeting (Lodging) | 2024/10/14 |
| Media coverage | Our project was Introduced in NHK Afternoon LIVE Newsoon (NHK午後LIVE ニュースーン) | 2024/10/18 |
| Other | Exhibited our powder product and introduced the project using posters and flyers in the Yamagata Food Education and Local Production for Local Consumption Festa 2024 (やまがた食育地産地消フェスタ2024). | 2024/10/19 |
| Other | Talked in SKS JAPAN 2024 | 2024/10/26 |
| Other | Introduced our project in the “Great Industry Encyclopedia: Introduction of Technology Research Contributing to the GX (業界大図鑑 GXに貢献する技術研究紹介)” held by 19th Electro-heat symposium (第19回エレクトロヒートシンポジウム) | 2024/11/01- 2024/11/30 |
| Other | Exhibition and tasting of foods made with hydrogel powder, along with an introduction to the project, at the SHONAI Well-Eating DAY | 2024/11/05 |
| Media coverage | An interview article was published on the special website for Business Chance EXPO in TOKYO | 2024/11/05 |
| Meeting | 6th Project Progress Meeting (Online) | 2024/11/20 |
| Other | Exhibition and panel discussion (title: Contribution to Reducing Food Loss and Becoming Carbon Neutral by COOLD FOOD) in Agribusiness Creation Fair 2024 | 2024/11/26- 2024/11/28 |
| Academic Conference | Presented and introduced about our project at the 14th International Gel Symposium 2024 (Okinawa, Japan). | 2024/11/17-2024/11/21 |
| Media coverage | Being Interviewed by and was aired on a TV program named “Yugata Satellite” | 2024/12/05 |
| Media coverage | An event held at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation was covered and reported in online articles (see Foovo, PC watch, JIJI.COM). | 2024/12/08 |
| Meeting | 7th Project Progress Meeting | 2024/12/11 |
| Meeting | 8th Project Progress Meeting | 2025/01/15 |
| Other | Presented at the GOGLOBAL SPAIN. | 2025/01/24 |
| Media coverage | Being interviewed and was aired on the podcast and radio of Radio NIKKEI (The Future of Agri [農のミライ]). | 2025/01/17- 2025/01/24 |
| Media coverage | The interview article was published in Nikkei Newspaper | 2025/01/19 |
| HP publication | The interview conducted by Akiko Sugimoto was published on Radio Nikkei Blog (農のミライPLUS) | 2025/01/20 |
| HP publication | Colaboration advertisement was posted on Instagram of EXPO EARTH MART. | 2025/02/12 |
| Meeting | 9th Project Progress Meeting | 2025/02/19 |
| Event | The Symposium on Standardization of Hydrogel Powder and Social Acceptance will be held (closed event). | 2025/03/05 |
| Media coverage | TV Osaka News aired “[Producer Kundo Koyama] Thinking About Life Through Eating.” | 2025/03/18 |
| HP Publication | EARTH MART: “Signature Pavilion EARTH MART by Kundo Koyama, Theme Producer for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, Unveiled—Reflecting on Life Through Food.” | 2025/03/18 |
| Meeting | 10th Project Progress Meeting | 2025/03/24 |
| Press Release | “At the Osaka-Kansai Expo, Restaurant ‘Terrace Nichirei’ Opens for the First Time in 55 Years! Also Providing Technical Cooperation for ‘Evolving Frozen Foods’ Inside Signature Pavilion EARTH MART.” | 2025/04/09 |
| Press Release | Furukawa Laboratory Collaborates in Exhibition at EARTH MART, Osaka-Kansai Expo! – Featuring “Evolving Frozen Foods” on the “Future Floor,” Showcasing Low-Temperature Freeze-Crushed Hydrated Gel Powder. | 2025/04/09 |
| Media coverage | NHK Yamagata NEWS WEB published: “Osaka-Kansai Expo Opening on the 13th – Exhibits Featuring Food Technology from Yamagata Also Featured.” | 2025/04/11 |
| Meeting | 1st Project Progress Meeting | 2025/04/21 |
| Media coverage | Yomiuri Shimbun featured: “Regenerated Rice, Cultured Meat… A Variety of Proposals for Delicious, Convenient ‘Future Foods’ Addressing Food Shortages and Allergies.” | 2025/05/13 |
| Other | Exhibited at Food 4 Future. | 2025/05/13-15 |
| Media coverage | Yomiuri Shimbun featured: “‘Regenerated Rice’ Frozen Food on Display at the Expo.” | 2025/05/17 |
| Media coverage | TBS Television “THE TIME,” highlighted “Regenerated Rice” at the Expo in its Marketing Segment, Introducing Professor Furukawa’s Research. | 2025/05/19 |
| Media coverage | Asahi Shimbun published: “Expanding the Future of Food with Frozen Powder – Yamagata University’s Furukawa Lab Supports Expo Exhibition.” | 2025/05/21 |
| Meeting | 2nd Project Progress Meeting | 2025/05/28 |
| HP Publication | ORICON News featured Professor Furukawa’s research in: “Frozen Foods That Represented the ‘Dining Table of the Future’ 55 Years Ago – With Microwaves Now a Standard Appliance, What Is Nichirei Envisioning Next?” | 2025/05/30 |
| Media coverage | YBC Yamagata Broadcasting “Piyotama Wide” featured Professor Furukawa’s Research. | 2025/06/04 |
| Media coverage | TV Tokyo’s “FIND! GOOD! FOOD!” featured Professor Furukawa’s Research (Utilizing Discarded Crops! 3D Food Printers! F-EAT, Hideaki Furukawa). | 2025/06/04 |
| Other | Exhibited at FOOMA JAPAN 2025 and introduced the initiatives of this research project. | 2025/06/10–13 |
| Media coverage | Sakuranbo Television Broadcasting Corporation’s “News It Yamagata” featured “Evolving Frozen Foods,” which was exhibited at the Expo. | 2025/06/13 |
| Other | Introduced the initiatives of this research project at the 11th Egg Symposium. | 2025/06/18 |
| HP Publication | A part of the achievements of this project was published in WIRED. | 2025/06/19 |
| Meeting | 3rd Project Progress Meeting | 2025/06/25 |
| Event | At the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan), Professor Furukawa hosted the Soft 3D Co-Creation Consortium’s food tech event, where part of this project’s initiatives were introduced. | 2025/07/05 |
| Event | The Furukawa Laboratory of Yamagata University’s Faculty of Engineering and F-EAT Co., Ltd. jointly held the “Engineering Gastronomy Workshop: Designing the Future of Food in Yonezawa,” where the initiatives of this project were introduced. | 2025/07/31–08/01 |
| Meeting | 4th Project Progress Meeting | 2025/08/06 |
| Media Coverage | TV Tokyo’s government public relations program Click Nippon broadcasted the initiatives of this project. | 2025/08/10 |
| Event | At the Osaka-Kansai Expo ORA Food Service Pavilion “UTAGE,” a display of low-temperature hydrogel powder was held. | 2025/08/15 |
| Media Coverage | NHK General Yamagata’s program “Yamamaru” broadcasted part of this project’s achievements. | 2025/08/19 |
| Meeting | 5th Project Progress Meeting | 2025/09/03 |
| Event | Participated as a speaker in the “Future Life Experience” stage at the Future Life Village of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, in a session titled: “Food Loss × Cold Chain Expo Conference — Conquering 3 Million Tons of Unused Food: Moonshot Strategies for the Future” | 2025/09/09-2025/09/10 |
| Press | Held a press release together with speakers from Yamagata University, Ichimasa Kamaboko Co., and Watami Farm Co., announcing the session: “Food Loss × Cold Chain Expo Conference — Conquering 3 Million Tons of Unused Food: Future Strategies for the MAFF Moonshot Program” | 2025/09/04-2025/09/19 |
| Coverage | An article about this project was published in The Kahoku Shimpo titled: “Utilizing Unused Food Ingredients to Reduce Food Loss — Yamagata University Professors Advance Preservation Technology Development.” | 2025/09/09 |
| Coverage | An article featuring this project appeared in The Sankei Shimbun titled: “Freezing and Powdering Enable Long-Term Preservation — Showcasing ‘Food of the Future’ at the Expo to Tackle Food Loss.” | 2025/09/10 |
| Coverage | Our project results were introduced on Tokyo Metropolitan Television (TOKYO MX)’s program “OhaRina!” | 2025/09/19 |
| Coverage | An editorial in The Yamagata Shimbun highlighted our project manager as one of the Expo 2025 exhibitors. | 2025/09/25 |
| Others | Exhibited low-temperature frozen hydrogel powder at FOOD STYLE JAPAN. | 2025/09/25-2025/09/26 |
| HP Publication | A report on our meeting with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. at KAWARUBA discussing this project has been published. | 2025/09/22 |
| HP Publication | Introduced in a PR article by Nichirei Foods titled: “Nichirei Foods to Offer a Freezing Experience at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai — Toward a ‘Frozen Positive’ World.” | 2025/10/01 |
| Meeting | 6th Project Progress Meeting | 2025/10/01 |
| Media Coverage | Professor Furukawa’s low-temperature freeze-pulverized hydrogel powder was featured in an editorial on page 3 of the Yamagata Shimbun titled, “Osaka-Kansai Expo Closes: Let’s Weave Lessons for the Future.” | 2025/10/15 |
| HP Publication | A video titled, “[Yamagata University x Nichirei Foods] Reducing Food Loss! What is the Future of ‘Food’ Created by ‘3D Food Printers’ and Freezing Technology!?” was released on the Consumer Affairs Agency’s YouTube account. | 2025/10/23 |
| HP Publication | An article about the initiative with Nichirei Corporation was published on the Kizuna Community website. | 2025/10/23 |
| Media Coverage | A series of articles reporting on interviews received at the Osaka-Kansai Expo were published in various newspapers (To-o Nippo, Muroran Minpo, Kitanihon Shimbun, Ehime Shimbun, Nihonkai Shimbun, Kobe Shimbun, Nara Shimbun). | 2025/10/24-2025/10/29 |
| Others | Gave a presentation at Science Agora 2025 in the session “Aim for the Smiles of 9 Billion People! ‘Itadakimasu’ for the Future,” hosted by the Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution. | 2025/10/25 |
| Event | Akashi-yaki (savory dumplings) made with freeze-pulverized octopus hydrogel powder were served at the “Nawate Halloween Night 2025” event held at Sora Stage in AEON MALL Shijonawate. | 2025/10/31 |
| Others | Conducted a conceptual exhibition of the Digital Restaurant System, which integrates the low-temperature freeze-pulverized hydrogel powder “COOLD FOOD” with food printers, in the Coexistence with Nature area of the Tokyo Future Tour 2035 at the Japan Mobility Show. | 2025/10/30-2025/11/09 |
| HP Publication | Coverage of the Japan Mobility Show exhibit was released on the ToyoTimes Sports YouTube channel as “Which one impressed Taiki Morii!? Mobility Show 2025 Finally Opens!｜ToyoTimes Sports.“ | 2025/10/31 |
| Media Coverage | An article summarizing the events at the Osaka-Kansai Expo and Shijonawate was published in the Sankei Shimbun: “The ‘Future of Food’ via 3D Printer from Osaka: Glowing Akashi-yaki, Future-style Ramen… also exhibited at the Expo.” | 2025/11/10 |
| Meeting | 7th Project Progress Meeting | 2025/11/12 |
| Media Coverage | Coverage of the Shijonawate event, the Japan Mobility Show, and an interview at the university laboratory was broadcast on TBS’s Joho 7days. | 2025/11/15 |
| Others | Exhibited at the Agribusiness Creation Fair 2025 and conducted a seminar on the main stage. | 2025/11/26 |
| Others | Exhibited at the “Future Sweets Exhibition: Kind to the Earth and the Body,” held at the Kaikokan Hall on the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Fuchu Campus, and offered rusks and chiffon cake made with low-temperature freeze-pulverized hydrogel powder from rice. | 2025/11/29 |
| Media Coverage | Project Manager Furukawa was interviewed regarding the 3D food printer technology on the radio program “Azumi Shinichiro no Nichiyou Tengoku (安住紳一郎の日曜天国)“. The interview was broadcast, and the ultra low-temperature freeze-grinding technology, which is developed through this project, was introduced. | 2025/12/07 |
Cooperating Research Institutes
Yamagata University/ Miyagi University/ Ichimasa Kamaboko Co., Ltd./ Watami Farm Co., Ltd. / Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd.
山形大学 ソフト＆ウェットマター工学研究室（SWEL） 