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Ready-made liquid baby formula finally goes on sale in Japan

5 Comments
By Ben K, grape Japan

It may come as a surprise to some of our readers that liquid ready-made baby formula has not been commercially available in Japan. Unlike the United States and Europe where liquid formula is a common sight on store shelves, Japan lacked a set of rules to regulate the production of a liquid form and manufacturers have been limited to selling the powdered type which users must mix with water.

However, thanks in part to Japan's experience with natural disasters such as the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, when victims were grateful to receive liquid formula from abroad, voices lobbying for change became louder. Japan's health ministry finally approved liquid formula in August 2018, giving the green light to food makers to develop products.

The first out of the gate is Ezaki Glico's ICREO Akachan Miruku アイクレオ赤ちゃんミルク (ICREO Baby Formula), which just went on sale on their online store on March 5, and will be available in stores from March 11, on the 8th anniversary of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

Ever since 2016, Ezaki Glico had been doing research into a liquid type of baby formula which could be stored at room temperature, so it was prepared when the ban was lifted and was the first company to complete development and tests, finally bringing their product to the market.

According to their press release, ICREO Baby Formula is not only a helpful solution in times of natural disaster, when stress can prevent mothers from lactating and there is sometimes no access to clean cold or hot water, but also in every day life for parents on the go or parents not used to preparing formula from powder.

Since this will be the first time for many parents to try a ready-made baby formula product, Ezaki Glico has provided a helpful diagram explaining how to use it.

icreo_2.jpg
Photo: Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.

Product Information

You can buy ICREO Baby Formula at Ezaki Glico's online store or in brick-and-mortar stores from March 11th.

  • Price: 200 yen (excl. tax)
  • Quantity: 125 ml
  • Expiration: 6 months
  • Storage: At a temperature not exceeding room temperature

For more details, you can visit ICREO Baby Formula's page on Ezaki Glico's website. For questions, call customer service toll free at 0120-964-369 (within Japan) between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

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© grape Japan

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

5 Comments
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Stress does NOT dry up milk production in humans. It may slow down the milk ejection but this does not lower supply. The photograph does not show the person washing their hands or sanitizing equipment first. Very scary. Ready to feed is not safer than breastfeeding. This is irresponsible journalism. Shame on you putting money before health.
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Correction - that was just 125mm - so 20 times the US cost.

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At 200 yen for 200mm, that cost is about 14 times the cost in the US if volume (one time consumption convienience) is ignored.  (I didn't find the US cost for ready to drink single consumption products.)  It would be nice to know what the cost per litre will be, and whether they will sell in larger volumes, and whether similar products will be permitted to be imported and sold at the large volume outlets.

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Kawaii!

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Think of all the burns/scalds I could have avoided from imperfectly sealed baby bottles exploding when I shook to emulsify when preparing formula for my babies if it had come 8 years ago. Man did I fear those bottles by he end of it LOL!

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