The FINANCIAL -- SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO) is pleased to announce the release of the world first rice bread cooker "GOPAN " that can easily bake rice bread in every home from rice grain.
The product will be released for sale on October 8, 2010.
Rice is the principal food in Japan. However, the consumption of domestic rice has decreased by half compared to 1962. It is feared that the decreasing rice demand may negatively impact the development of technology in the agriculture field, and therefore slow improvement in the taste of rice, which will further contribute to the domestic consumption decrease. Meanwhile, the number of people concerned about the reliability of food has increased. Also, more and more people are checking farm producer's information before buying cooking ingredients.
SANYO is committed to creating products, which contribute to increasing rice consumption. One such product is the pressure IH type rice cooker "Odoridaki" that applies heat to each rice grain, and therefore cooks delicious rice. Another one is "Rice-flour bread maker" that bakes bread with rice flour. Both products represent leading technology in the industry.
And now "GOPAN" that can easily make bread from rice grain at home has come to market.Eating habits have changed. In this context SANYO proposes an alternative food life by introducing GOPAN. Using it will naturally increase rice consumption and change the eating habits of people.
SANYO is aiming to contribute to improving the reliability of food and rate of self-sufficiency in Japan by proposing a concept of "Healthy, happy rice life for all people in the world" for the future.
Comment from Mr. Takahiro Sasaki, Parliamentary Secretary for Land, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
The food self-sufficiency rate of our country is 41%, and the minimum levels in the advanced countries. Our Japanese Government formulated the target to improve the food self sufficiency rate to 50% in ten years in March this year. The expansion of the rice consumption is extremely important for the target's achieving.
"GOPAN" can easily bake rice bread in every home from rice grain. For baking rice bread domestic ingredients will be used and therefore their potential demand will increase,
"GOPAN" is expected not only to create a change in raising the food self-sufficiency rate.
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