SynergyBio Collaborates with Taiwan's PHERMPEP to Launch Goat Milk Fermented Dairy 'KEFPEP' in Korea

Bio-specialized company Synergy Bio Co., Ltd. announced that it will actively enter the domestic market with the fermented goat milk ingredient ‘KEFPEP’ through collaboration with PHERMPEP, a Taiwanese functional peptide development company.

PHERMPEP is a company that has been researching and developing high-functional peptides for over 30 years. Through this collaboration, it plans to expand the use of goat milk-based ingredients in the domestic fermented milk market together with Synergy Bio. The ‘KEFPEP’ supplied domestically is a product that reinterprets traditional fermented milk kefir originating from the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe using goat milk.

KEFPEP is characterized by being fermented using PHERMPEP’s proprietary PKG-8 patented technology. It contains approximately 100 times higher levels of bioactive peptides compared to regular kefir and also includes kefiran, a substance involved in immune and anti-inflammatory functions. This ingredient is already used as a health functional food ingredient in Taiwan and has secured safety by obtaining the US FDA’s GRAS (Self-Affirmed) certification.

The functionality confirmed through human and animal testing is also attracting attention. KEFPEP effectively increases calcium absorption in the body in efficacy evaluations related to bone health and has been confirmed to have a higher bone loss suppression effect compared to the calcium administration group. In addition, data related to hypertension relief and sleep quality improvement have been secured, broadening its potential as a functional material.

Furthermore, it is distinguished by the characteristic that lactose is broken down into lactic acid during the fermentation process, allowing consumers with lactose intolerance to consume it without burden.

A Synergy Bio official stated, “KEFPEP is a fermented goat milk ingredient that possesses both functionality and safety, and we expect it to become a new option in the domestic health functional food and food and beverage markets. Based on our collaboration with PHERMPEP, we plan to expand product development cooperation with domestic companies.”