Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd was founded in 1949 as a sweetener manufacturer. With the social trend the company began research on natural products as the alternatives. In 1971, they developed a system for producing a natural stevia sweetener, which was the first in the world.
The company has more recently been involved manufacture of a sweetener based on rebaudioside A, extracted from the stevia leaf.
| Period | Events | |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 1949 | Morita Kaichi establishes Morita Kagaku Kogyo and begins the manufacturing and selling of synthetic sweeteners and other industrial pharmaceuticals. | |
| Jan 1960 | Morita Kagaku Kogyo becomes incorporated. | |
| May 1971 | Morita Kagaku Kogyo succeeds in the commercialization of Stevia sweeteners for the first time in the world and becomes a comprehensive manufacturer. | |
| Oct 1974 | First in the world succeeds in a large-scale cultivation of Stevia and establishes an integrated system from plant growth to extraction and refining processing. | |
| Jun 1975 | Discovery of the sweetest component of the Stevia leaf, Rebaudioside A. | |
| Mar 1982 | Develops a high Rebaudioside A product. | |
| Jan 1985 | Begins the cultivation of Stevia overseas. | |
| May 1993 | Obtains a patent on the manufacturing process of a new natural sweetener. | |
| Jan 1994 | Obtains a patent on the manufacturing process of a new sweetener. | |
| Oct 1994 | Launches the enzyme-treated Rebaudioside A series. | |
| Nov 1999 | Receives the Award for Excellent Food, Machinery, and Materials (established by the Japan Food Journal). | |
| Feb 2000 | Obtains a patent on a new variety of Stevia in the United States. | |
| Jun 2000 | Obtains a patent on a new variety of Stevia in the United States. | |
| Sep 2000 | Obtains a botanical patent. | |
| Nov 2000 | Receives the 20th Century Food Industry Award (established by the Japan Food Journal). | |
| Sep 2002 | Obtains a patent on the α-glycosylated Stevia sweetener. | |
| Aug 2003 | Obtains a patent on Aseculfame K and Stevia sweetener. | |
| Mar 2005 | Applies for patents on a new breed of Stevia plant, a manufacturing process, and a sweetener. |
Karori Zero is a Japanese powder-like sweetener product made from the latest technology of Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. It is made with rebaudioside A and Erythritol, which have been proved to be safe for human intake.