AJINOMOTO VIETNAM - COMPANY FIELD TRIP REPORT

Introduction to AJINOMOTO COMPANY

1. AJINOMOTO GROUP

The interesting history of Ajinomoto Group originated from the Umami discovery of Doctor Kikunae Ikeda in Japan in 1908. In the early 20th century, Doctor Kikunae Ikeda discovered a unique taste available in various kinds of familiar foods, especially in the delicious food. This taste was created from glutamate, an amino acid presenting in most living organisms. He named it ‘Umami’. Thanks to the discovery, only a year later, in 1909, a unique product in the food industry was first introduced to the market, starting a familiar and popular trademark in Japan as well as worldwide. That is AJI-NO-MOTO® MSG - also called Umami Seasoning, a product playing a very important role in the field of food processing. Since then, Ajinomoto Group has constantly developing and extending to become a strong global corporation at present.

The Ajinomoto Philosophy is “We create better lives globally by contributing to significant advances in Food and Health and by working for Life”. Ajinomoto Group has contributed to the development of economics by producing various products to satisfy the needs of consumers all over the world.

With amino acids at the core and the ability of technology development as well as innovation, Ajinomoto Group is conducting business activities in three main areas: Food, Bio-fine and Pharmaceuticals and Health. Ajinomoto Group now has 103 plants, many representative offices in 26 countries and regions, with a team of nearly 28,000 employees worldwide. The diverse products of Ajinomoto Group are distributed to more than 130 countries and regions, contributing to people’s happy life around the world.

2. AJINOMOTO VIETNAM COMPANY

Established in 1991, Ajinomoto Vietnam Company is a foreign owned capital company, a member of Ajinomoto Group with initial capital investment of more than 8 million USD. Up to now, the company has constantly extended and increased production capacity of all products with total capital investment for infrastructure, operation and market development up to 65 million USD.

Ajinomoto Vietnam Company now has two offices operating in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi and two factories: The Bien Hoa Ajinomoto Factory operated since 1991 and the Ajinomoto Long Thanh Factory operated since 2008. In addition, the company has 5 Distribution Centers in Hai Duong, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Dong Nai and Can Tho along with 59 sales depot and more than 300 sale team nationwide. The number of employees working at Ajinomoto Vietnam Company is almost 2,400.

Company’s mission:

“We contribute to the further growth of Vietnam, the happiness and good health of Vietnamese people through food culture.”

With this mission, Ajinomoto Vietnam is striving constantly in research and development to bring many types of food products and condiments with the best quality, safety, fit Vietnamese people's taste. Moreover, we always want to contribute to the development of the unique culinary culture of Vietnam through giving advices, introducing new tastes and new eating ways to enjoy the Vietnamese cuisine, contributively bringing healthier, happier life for every Vietnamese family.

The Production Process of Ajinomoto MSG

Step 1: Materials are handled. The company's main materials are molasses and cassava starch which are converted to sugar solution and used. Raw materials and other nutrients have been sterilized by heat and put into fermentation tanks.

Step 2: Glutamic acid is produced through a fermentation process. Crystalline cubic of glutamic separated from fermentation broth was acidified.

Step 3: Glutamic acid is recovered through the process of crystallization. Glutamic acid was crystallized by acidifying fermentation broth environment.

Step 4: Glutamic acid is converted to monosodium glutamate. When putting the crystalline block of glutamic acid into the solution of sodium hydroxide (for food), glutamic acid is converted to monosodium glutamate. Monosodium glutamate has the advantages of solubility and durability in storage for a food seasoning.

Step 5: Monosodium glutamate solution is cleaned. Activated carbon has many tiny holes on the surface, which helps absorb impurities. Thus, the impurities are removed, monosodium glutamate solution becomes clear and clean.

Step 6: Monosodium glutamate is crystallized. Monosodium glutamate solution that was cleaned is concentrated by drying and crystalline monosodium glutamate is formed.

Step 7: The monosodium glutamate crystals are dried. The crystals are vibrated, rotated and dried with hot air in a closed system.

Step 8: The monosodium glutamate crystals were weighed and packaged. This is the Ajinomoto MSG.

The Process of Waste Treatment of AJINOMOTO VIETNAM

Ajinomoto Vietnam has established environmental management system following the standard of ISO 14001: 2004; implementing programs to improve and protect the environment, such as reducing waste water and solid waste; reducing air pollution; energy savings; recycling 100% waste, helping efficiently use the natural resources to serve the business and production activities. Accordingly, all of the company's waste from the production factories are classified for recycling, plastic waste is sold to the recycling plastics facilities, industrial waste after decanting the useful part will be brought into the advanced treatment systems by means of microbiological and deposition method. Visiting the wastewater treatment area which is invested carefully by Ajinomoto Vietnam, there is no unpleasant odor, it was just the smell of molasses sugar and fish can live in the water after handled.

With a lot of effort in preserving and protecting the environment, Ajinomoto Vietnam was awarded sustainable "Green brand" by Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations.

Lessons from the Field Trip

Coming to one of the leading companies specializing in food products, especially production of MSG - Ajinomoto Co., students have experienced a great and environmentally friendly working environment, a professional working style as well as the modern production technology. The guides were so polite and enthusiastic in guiding, providing information about the company, the products, manufacturing processes, packaging and wastewater treatment, especially sharing very useful working experience for all students. This thing will enable students to have a more realistic look, which helps reinforce the knowledge learnt in school and have more experience for orientating occupations in the future.