Core Insights - Mengniu Group showcased its self-developed probiotic strain Lc19 at the International Nutrition Conference, revealing a new mechanism for regulating blood sugar through the microbial tryptophan-cholic acid (TRP-CA) pathway, providing a "Chinese solution" for global blood sugar health management [1][5] - The research was published in the prestigious journal "Cell," marking the first application-based achievement in food science to be included in this journal, highlighting Mengniu's significant progress in overcoming the "bottleneck" issues in probiotic technology and establishing a "Chinese core" in the dairy industry [3][6] Industry Context - China has 233 million diabetes patients, accounting for 13.7% of the total population, the highest scale and proportion globally. Mengniu's innovation addresses this public health challenge by developing the Lc19 strain, which activates human receptors to promote GLP-1 and insulin secretion, thus improving blood sugar stability [5][6] - Mengniu's breakthrough in the Lc19 strain is part of a broader strategy to tackle the lack of high-quality domestic probiotics and outdated processing technologies in China's dairy industry, positioning the company as a leader in scientific innovation [9] Research and Development Achievements - Since 2010, Mengniu has established a proprietary resource library with over 18,000 strains, achieving a "zero breakthrough" in independent strain development. The company has received multiple prestigious awards for its patented strains, including the National Science and Technology Progress Award [9][11] - Mengniu's R&D investment has been growing at an annual rate of 13%, projected to reach 513 million yuan in 2024, with a focus on building a global innovation network and nine R&D bases worldwide [11] Product Development and Market Strategy - The Lc19 strain has been successfully applied in the market with the launch of the Youruian Sugar Shield probiotic powder, which combines Lc19 with other patented strains and natural plant extracts to meet blood sugar control needs [6][12] - Mengniu is expanding its product offerings to include low-GI products, senior nutrition, special medical nutrition, and sports nutrition, aiming to meet diverse health needs across different consumer segments [14][16]