Pukyong National University Faculty Startup Reveals for the First Time the Sleep Improvement Effects of Lime Peel

'Nutrilite' Published in International Journal and Promotes Export of Health Functional Foods

Nutrite, a faculty startup company from Pukyong National University (CEO: Cho Seungmok, Professor of Food Engineering), has, for the first time, revealed the sleep-improving effects and mechanisms of lime peel, a type of citrus fruit.

The Nutrite research team, in collaboration with Dr. Lee Jaekwang's team from the Korea Food Research Institute and Professor Jang H. Youn's team from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, scientifically identified the sleep effects and mechanisms of lime peel through joint research.

With support from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' TIPS program, the research team explored internationally recognized ingredients to develop outstanding sleep-functional materials with global competitiveness. As a result, lime peel extract demonstrated significant reductions in sleep onset time and increases in sleep duration in animal studies.

Notably, the extract was found to improve sleep quality by increasing deep sleep. The sleep-enhancing effect of lime peel extract is attributed to its rich flavonoid content. These lime flavonoids were scientifically proven to improve sleep by activating GABA receptors in the central nervous system, similar to the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.

The research team recently published these findings in a renowned international journal in the top 10% of the pharmaceutical field (IF: 6.9). In recently completed human trials, lime peel extract also showed excellent clinical effects, such as reduced sleep onset time, increased sleep efficiency, increased total sleep time, and increased stage 2 sleep, and a paper is currently being prepared for submission.

In particular, Nutrite's corporate research institute focused on developing a method to selectively extract only the sleep-inducing flavonoids from lime peel while suppressing the extraction of polysaccharides such as pectin, thereby establishing an efficient and economical industrial production process.

Sleep Improvement Effect and Mechanism of Action of Lime Peel Extract Image.

Kim Sunghee, the first author of the research paper and principal researcher, stated, "Based on this world-first study revealing the sleep effects and mechanisms of lime, we have succeeded in industrializing the functional ingredient. As a follow-up, we plan to conduct research on promising lead compounds based on the active components. Especially, utilizing lime peel, a byproduct of lime juice production, serves as a good example of high-value food upcycling."

CEO Cho Seungmok said, "We have recently completed the application for individual recognition of our functional ingredient with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, preparing for entry into the domestic market. We are currently pursuing registration of the ingredient as a New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) with the US FDA, and from next year, we plan to focus on globalizing the lime sleep ingredient, particularly in the US market."

CEO Cho Seungmok is recognized for his outstanding research capabilities in the field, having developed Korea's first individually recognized sleep functional ingredient, and founded Nutrite with the goal of developing high-efficacy, low-dose sleep functional ingredients for global success.

Song Jinho, Vice President of Magna Investment, an investor in Nutrite, commented, "Since Nutrite developed its product by comparing efficacy with internationally renowned ingredients from the early stages of research, it is expected to play a leading role in boosting exports of domestic health functional foods," highly evaluating the global potential of the lime sleep ingredient.