Ajinomoto U.S.A. Inc

Prepared Foods, March, 2000

Ajinomoto U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Ajinomoto Co. Inc--one of Japan's largest food and beverage companies--is a diversified manufacturer and distributor of processed foods, food ingredients and pharmaceuticals. The company was the first, and remains the largest producer of monosodium glutamate in the world, and for close to a century, has been offering consumers around the world a growing array of food products that include seasonings, edible oils, processed foods, beverages and dairy products.

In addition to MSG, Ajinomoto U.S.A. Inc. provides other quality flavor enhancers such as Monoammonium Glutamate, Monopotassium Glutamate, and nucleotides such as "IMP" and "GMP," and "I G." Ajinomoto is also the exclusive distributor of San-J Industrial products in the Western Hemisphere and Europe. San-J products include seasonings, naturally fermented soy sauces and premium Tamari soy sauce.

Ajinomoto's most recent product is [Activa.sup.TM] TG, a transglutaminase enzyme with the ability to crosslink protein molecules present in food without the use of salt or binders. [Activa.sup.TM] TG is unique because the crosslinks it creates improve some of the physical properties of the food, such as firmness, elasticity and moisture retention. [Activa.sup.TM] TG can also enhance the texture and mouthfeel of low sodium meat and poultry products. Ajinomoto's [Activa.sup.TM] TG enzyme is a natural product produced by microbial fermentation and purified by filtration and precipitation.