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Who does the science

The people and the published record

Two scientists lead Aroma Biotech. Their work is dated, published, and checkable, and the full record sits below rather than in a summary. The 1981 protease research led to a commercial fish sauce process, the ubiquinone work reached commercial-scale Coenzyme Q10 production, and the pyrroloquinoline quinone project, running from 1984 to 2008, stayed in the laboratory.

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Six hands holding laboratory flasks, test tubes, and a pipette
Dr. Duong Qua Aita Portrait to be supplied by the company.

Founder and scientific lead

Dr. Duong Qua Aita, PhD in Agriculture, University of Tokyo

Dr. Duong Qua Aita has worked on marine and industrial microbiology for more than four decades. His 1981 paper on a halophilic protease from a moderately halophilic marine Pseudomonas led to the fish sauce process that became a company in Vietnam in 1994. He has since worked across wastewater engineering, coenzyme production, protease genetics, and bioplastics.

Purification and properties of halophilic protease from a moderately halophilic marine Pseudomonas sp. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, May 1981, 27(5) 505.

Application of protease from a moderately halophilic marine bacterium to fish sauce processing. Nihon Suisangakkai 52, 1581, 1986.
Biological Characteristics, Diversity and Utilization of Marine Microorganisms. Japanese book, with Dr. Owada and Dr. Shimizu.
Contamination of Petroleum and Microorganism. Japanese research book, with Dr. Shimizu Ushio.
1980 to 1983. Ubiquinone, Coenzyme Q10, producing microorganism research.
1982 to 1985. Wastewater solutions for CoQ10, ammonia, aldehyde, and H2O2 plants.
1982 to 1986. Fish sauce fermentation research and enzyme application, including the Marinarge fish sauce plant.
1982 to 1986. Enzyme application in the food industry, and functional groups in health foods.
1984 to 1987. Genetic engineering of DNA to alter the protease produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
1984 to 2008. Pyrroloquinoline quinone, PQQ, vitamin B14.
Bioplastics, polyhydroxybutyrate, from methanol-utilizing bacteria.
1988 to 1990. Wastewater solutions for chemical processes, petroleum, and ammonia synthesis.
2006. Okami food industrial prize of Japan.

19802008

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Miwa

  • Dr. Miwa Chief Executive Officer

    Dr. Miwa came to Aroma from Ajinomoto, where he researched amino acid fermentation and holds patents in it. Two commercial results are associated with his work at Aroma: Coenzyme Q10 at mass production, and premium Aroma fish sauce.

    • Former Ajinomoto researcher
    • Patents in amino acid fermentation
    • Coenzyme Q10 at commercial mass production
Laboratory glassware and instruments

R&D practice

Custom strains, incubator projects, and the Master Cells Bank

Aroma develops enzymes to order and runs its own incubator projects alongside customer work. The Master Cells Bank holds the strains, which is what lets a second order repeat the first. Scientists and partners who want to work on a specific target can start a conversation about it.

  • Custom enzyme development, strain adjusted per target
  • In-house incubator projects
  • University collaborations
  • Master Cells Bank strain storage
Potted plants beside flasks of green and clear liquid

Contact

Write to the laboratory

The record on this page is what the company has supplied and can evidence. Requests for the full research team, patent numbers, or certification details go to the company directly.

Write to the laboratory