Minoru Shirota

Minoru Shirota

Minoru Shirota 
Minoru Shirota (代田 稔, Shirota Minoru, April 23, 1899 – March 10, 1982) was a Japanese scientist. He was the inventor of Yakult, the yogurt-like probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus casei strain shirota.
  All I know about Minoru's hometown is in Japan, Yina Mountains. Minoru is from a very rich family in Yina. He always aced his exams and almost all his teachers praised him. during the age of 18 Minoru went to the Tokyo University to attain professorship in the study in microorganisms. He went to research Lactobacillus and got a very successful research.

Yakult

  Inspired by the writings of Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov, Shirota developed a stronger strain of lactic acid bacteria which might work to destroy the harmful bacteria living in the intestines, and therefore improve and maintain the health of human beings.In 1930, Shirota was working in a microbiology lab at Kyoto Imperial University's School of Medicine when he became the first in the world to succeed in culturing a strain of lactic acid bacteria beneficial to human health. This bacterium was named Lactobacillus casei strain shirota after Shirota.
The result of his efforts was the successful culturing of Lactobacillus casei strain shirota. Shirota then began working together with supporters to make a drink incorporating the strain. This led to the development of Yakult which was introduced to the market in 1935.