Minoru Shirota
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| Intro | Inventor | |||
| Places | Japan | |||
| was | Biologist Microbiologist Bacteriologist Physician Businessperson Scientist | |||
| Work field | Biology Business Healthcare Science | |||
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| Birth | 23 April 1899, Iida, Japan | |||
| Death | 10 March 1982Konkaikōmyō-ji, Japan (aged 82 years) | |||
| Star sign | Taurus | |||
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The details
Biography
Minoru Shirota (代田 稔, Shirota Minoru, April 23, 1899 – March 10, 1982) was a Japanese microbiologist. In the 1920s Shirota identified a strain of lactic acid bacteria that is part of normal gut flora that he originally called Lactobacillus casei Shirota; it appeared to help contain the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut. The strain was later reclassified as being Lactobacillus paracasei Shirota.
He founded the company Yakult Honsha in 1935 to sell beverages containing the strain, branded Yakult.
He died in Tokyo, Japan in 1982.