Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside is made by binding one molecule of glucose to the hydroxyl group at the C-2 position of the Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) using an enzymatic reaction, thereby increasing its stability. This compound is formed using a technique called "glycosylation", in which a sugar is bound to other substances through enzymatic reaction.
Nagase Viita (formerly Hayashibara Co., Ltd.) has been researching and commercializing this technology for a long time, and products such as "COUPLING SUGAR^™" a starch syrup (glycosylsucrose syrup) produced by binding glucose or maltooligosaccharides to sucrose were already on the market.

Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside was first introduced to the world through the research of Professor Itaru Yamamoto at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University (see the column at the bottom). In 1989, Professor Yamamoto discovered that the Vitamin C glycoside produced by an enzyme derived from rats was Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside, a new Vitamin C glycoside with properties different from those of previously known Vitamin C glycosides. The amount obtained from the reaction with the rat enzyme was so small and it was insufficient for further analysis. Therefore, Professor Yamamoto contacted us to see if we could find an enzyme that can work more efficiently, producing a large amount of Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside.

In the university laboratory, the obtained quantity is very small so that a breakthrough was needed to establish a method for efficient mass production. Hajime Aga, then an up-and-coming young researcher in his fourth year with us, was singled out as a technical expert to meet this challenging request.

The research team that Aga belongs to immediately began trial production using this CGTase enzyme. After only a month and a half, 4.1kg of Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside with a purity of 96% was produced. Then a month later, in August 1989, we succeeded in precipitating Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside crystals for the first time in the world. This success made possible to achieve high-purity, easy-to-handle product specifications.

Manufacturing facilities developed in the 1990’s

Once the research team established the method for producing Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside, the production department began development for industrial mass production. One of the research team members, who was familiar with the method, joined the production department to establish the manufacturing method and also to develop manufacturing equipment incorporating the new technology. This series of initiatives was made possible only because we have an integrated system from research and development (R&D) to manufacturing.
In 1995, the long-awaited Vitamin C derivative with excellent stability was released to the market from Hayashibara Co., Ltd. (Nagase Viita at present.)

No matter how excellent the properties of a new substance are, if it can be produced only in a small test tube, it will never be beyond the realm of research. The value of such a substance can be delivered to the world and contributed to society only when a stable mass production is established at a realistic cost.

The development for mass production of Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside was accomplished at an amazing speed of three months by only four members of Nagase Viita research team. This achievement can be attributed to the fact that we have been researching enzymes for many years.

First of all, our laboratory had a wide range of inventory of enzymes, so it was a great advantage that the researchers were able to start the experiment right away. Also, the fact that the production department had routinely handled large amounts of CGTase, allowed us to use an abundance of the enzyme, which would have been usually difficult for research laboratories to procure, and led to the early establishment of the production method for Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside.
The accumulated knowledge through the manufacturing of reagents over many years also contributed to the making of several kilograms of prototypes and development of purification methods for Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside. By utilizing the limited manufacturing facility and trying possible method one after another, the production department was able to get the desired results quickly. Needless to say, the research team, led by Aga, had indispensable knowledge about enzymes as a foundation of the project.

The newly acquired technology at the time was later utilized in the development of trehalose mass production.

Researcher Hajime Aga

Researcher Aga recalls that time.

"At that time, I was just taking the same process as in my usual research, making hypotheses, preparing samples, and repeating experiments. Many of the predictions happened to be right on target and the results were good, so we were happy with each stage. If my predictions turned out wrong, I would just come up with a different method and try again and again. Looking back, I realized I had accomplished something amazing through continuous effort."

Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside has been used in many personal care products in Japan and overseas as a material with effects such as inhibition of melanin production since it was launched as a cosmetic material "AA2G^™" in 1995.
Before then, when formulating Vitamin C in brightening cosmetics, it was necessary to add antioxidants together to prevent the tendency of Vitamin C to be degraded by heat and light, or to add Vitamin C in large amounts by predicting its decomposition. Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside solved these problems and made it possible to develop more functional products at a lower cost.

The raw materials of Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside are simple: Vitamin C, enzymes, and starch. Since the natural function of enzymes is utilized in the production process, the energy load in the manufacturing process is low. Furthermore, the waste discharged during the manufacturing process is reduced by recycling the nutrition rich byproduct as feed for livestock.

Our products, which rely on the action of microbial enzymes, are highly evaluated not only in terms of functionality but also in terms of sustainable development and manufacturing, and are drawing attention globally, especially in Europe and the United States, where environmental awareness has been high in recent years. We will deliver value and continue to expand our business globally.