[Sunsho Pharmaceutical] Announces Processed Food 'Miso Soup with Sea Squirt Meat' Focusing on Ascidian-Derived Plasmalogen
Sunsho Pharmaceutical has developed 'Miso Soup with Sea Squirt Meat,' an instant processed food rich in ascidian-derived plasmalogens. It was unveiled at the 'Hoya Festival 2026', aiming to provide functional ingredients in an accessible daily food format.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 13:21 (98h 49m after Collected)
● Sunsho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture; President & CEO: Akira Imamura) has developed a general processed food, 'Miso Soup with Sea Squirt Meat,' focusing on ascidian-derived plasmalogen, and debuted it at the 'Hoya Festival 2026' held in Sendai City on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
● This product aims to deliver the material value of ascidian-derived plasmalogen in a more accessible way, not in the form of a supplement, but in the familiar food format of miso soup for Japanese people. It is designed as a hearty miso soup filled with fresh sea squirt meat and seaweed, allowing the aroma of the shore and the umami of the sea squirt to spread in a single sip.
● In addition, this product is the first product approved under the recommendation system of the Miyagi Hoya Council.
■ Background of Development
As a leading company in health food contract manufacturing, Sunsho Pharmaceutical has been working on the development of diverse functional materials and dosage forms. Among them, ascidian-derived plasmalogen is one of our key focus materials, for which we established an original extraction technology from sea squirts cultured in the Tohoku region and early on engaged in notifications for foods with functional claims.
Plasmalogen is a type of phospholipid abundant in human brain nerve cells. It has been reported that the amount in the body decreases with aging, and it is attracting attention in relation to cognitive function. Conventionally, the main means of ingesting such components were supplements (tablets, capsules, etc.), but with the desire to 'make health foods feel closer to home,' we began developing a product that can be effortlessly incorporated into daily life through miso soup, one of the most familiar meals for Japanese people.
■ 3 Points of the Product
- Instant Miso Soup with Sea Squirt Meat
We commercialized 'Sea Squirt Miso Soup,' popular as a local dish in its producing region, Tohoku, as an instant food that can be easily enjoyed just by adding hot water. While retaining the flavor of sea squirt, we pursued a taste that is easy to drink even for first-timers.
- General Processed Food Focusing on Ascidian-Derived Plasmalogen
Sea squirts are rich in DHA-bound plasmalogens, which are abundant in the human brain. Leveraging the knowledge Sunsho Pharmaceutical has accumulated, this product aims to be easy to incorporate into the daily dining table in a form different from supplements.
- A Development Story Overcoming the Barriers of Taste and Smell Through Repeated Prototypes
In development, adjusting the unique taste and smell of sea squirts was a major theme. We repeated prototyping five times, reviewing fresh management of sea squirt meat, blending amounts, recipe ingenuity to draw out the richness of the broth, and balance with other ingredients one by one.
■ Product Features
Product Name: Miso Soup with Sea Squirt Meat
Content: 3 servings
Suggested Retail Price: 1,280 yen (tax included)
Distributor: Sun Freres Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Sales Channels: Events, local product centers, souvenir shops, etc.
Product Page: https://sunfreres-lab.com/products/miso-soup/
■ Response at 'Hoya Festival 2026'
This product was first unveiled at the 'Hoya Festival 2026' (Organizer: Hoya Festival Executive Committee, Cooperation: Miyagi Hoya Council) held at Kotodai Park, Sendai City on Sunday, March 22, 2026. On the day, we held a free tasting event limited to 500 servings, and many people tried it. Triggered by the tasting, a visitor from Taiwan bought 10 pieces in bulk on the spot, realizing the product's appeal to overseas customers.
Voices of Visitors (Excerpt):
- 'I am not good with sea squirt, but I can eat this.' (Male in his 40s)
- 'It smells good and is delicious.' (Male in his 40s, food trading company)
- 'I tasted various things today, but this was the most delicious.' (Male in his 60s)
Many reactions like 'I can eat this' were seen even from those who dislike sea squirt, gaining a strong response as a gateway product for sea squirt beginners.
Additionally, at the 'Seafood Show Osaka' held from February 25 to 26, 2026, we conducted an advance tasting at the Miyagi Hoya Council booth, receiving evaluations from food industry professionals such as 'Easy to eat even if you don't like sea squirt' and 'Delicious.'
● This product aims to deliver the material value of ascidian-derived plasmalogen in a more accessible way, not in the form of a supplement, but in the familiar food format of miso soup for Japanese people. It is designed as a hearty miso soup filled with fresh sea squirt meat and seaweed, allowing the aroma of the shore and the umami of the sea squirt to spread in a single sip.
● In addition, this product is the first product approved under the recommendation system of the Miyagi Hoya Council.
■ Background of Development
As a leading company in health food contract manufacturing, Sunsho Pharmaceutical has been working on the development of diverse functional materials and dosage forms. Among them, ascidian-derived plasmalogen is one of our key focus materials, for which we established an original extraction technology from sea squirts cultured in the Tohoku region and early on engaged in notifications for foods with functional claims.
Plasmalogen is a type of phospholipid abundant in human brain nerve cells. It has been reported that the amount in the body decreases with aging, and it is attracting attention in relation to cognitive function. Conventionally, the main means of ingesting such components were supplements (tablets, capsules, etc.), but with the desire to 'make health foods feel closer to home,' we began developing a product that can be effortlessly incorporated into daily life through miso soup, one of the most familiar meals for Japanese people.
■ 3 Points of the Product
- Instant Miso Soup with Sea Squirt Meat
We commercialized 'Sea Squirt Miso Soup,' popular as a local dish in its producing region, Tohoku, as an instant food that can be easily enjoyed just by adding hot water. While retaining the flavor of sea squirt, we pursued a taste that is easy to drink even for first-timers.
- General Processed Food Focusing on Ascidian-Derived Plasmalogen
Sea squirts are rich in DHA-bound plasmalogens, which are abundant in the human brain. Leveraging the knowledge Sunsho Pharmaceutical has accumulated, this product aims to be easy to incorporate into the daily dining table in a form different from supplements.
- A Development Story Overcoming the Barriers of Taste and Smell Through Repeated Prototypes
In development, adjusting the unique taste and smell of sea squirts was a major theme. We repeated prototyping five times, reviewing fresh management of sea squirt meat, blending amounts, recipe ingenuity to draw out the richness of the broth, and balance with other ingredients one by one.
■ Product Features
Product Name: Miso Soup with Sea Squirt Meat
Content: 3 servings
Suggested Retail Price: 1,280 yen (tax included)
Distributor: Sun Freres Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Sales Channels: Events, local product centers, souvenir shops, etc.
Product Page: https://sunfreres-lab.com/products/miso-soup/
■ Response at 'Hoya Festival 2026'
This product was first unveiled at the 'Hoya Festival 2026' (Organizer: Hoya Festival Executive Committee, Cooperation: Miyagi Hoya Council) held at Kotodai Park, Sendai City on Sunday, March 22, 2026. On the day, we held a free tasting event limited to 500 servings, and many people tried it. Triggered by the tasting, a visitor from Taiwan bought 10 pieces in bulk on the spot, realizing the product's appeal to overseas customers.
Voices of Visitors (Excerpt):
- 'I am not good with sea squirt, but I can eat this.' (Male in his 40s)
- 'It smells good and is delicious.' (Male in his 40s, food trading company)
- 'I tasted various things today, but this was the most delicious.' (Male in his 60s)
Many reactions like 'I can eat this' were seen even from those who dislike sea squirt, gaining a strong response as a gateway product for sea squirt beginners.
Additionally, at the 'Seafood Show Osaka' held from February 25 to 26, 2026, we conducted an advance tasting at the Miyagi Hoya Council booth, receiving evaluations from food industry professionals such as 'Easy to eat even if you don't like sea squirt' and 'Delicious.'