In fiscal year 2024, the health menu "Blood Sugar Gapao," devised by first-year students in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy as part of the course "Early Exposure and Introduction to Entrepreneurship," was served in approximately 900 portions at 24 employee cafeterias and other locations nationwide with the cooperation of Japan Wellness Co., Ltd. The menu was offered for one month in June 2025 as an initiative to support employee health.
This menu was developed with the aim of preventing diabetes, seeking to balance nutritional value and satisfaction by using plenty of vegetables, mushrooms, and seaweed. It was finished as a healthy yet filling dish and was well-received.
In developing the menu, with the cooperation of Minato City, students began by analyzing health checkup data of Minato City Hall employees, followed by setting personas, conducting literature reviews, and interviewing experts, leading to repeated prototyping and refinement. For the supervision of the menu content, they received advice from registered dietitians at the Minato City Health Promotion Section, making it a practical learning opportunity.
Through the valuable experience of having their own devised menu served nationwide, the students felt a sense of "social contribution through food." This initiative is expected to lead to future success as a result of practical education in the fields of pharmacy and health.