To promote innovation and upgrading in the food-as-medicine industry and facilitate the deep integration of traditional dietary health culture with the modern food industry, Ye Yingwang, Vice President of the Beijing Institute of Dietary Health and Medicinal Cuisine and co-initiator of the International Conference on the Innovative Development of Food-as-Medicine, visited the Jinlejia Group in Luoyang, Henan, on May 20–21. During the visit, he conducted in-depth research and exchanges focused on the innovative development of food-as-medicine snacks and the full-chain development of the edible mulberry leaf industry. Zhao Kaike, Chairman of Jinlejia Group, and Ba Zhijie, Head of Production Technology, hosted the visit and participated in the discussions throughout the event.

During the visit, Vice President Ye Yingwang and his delegation conducted on-site inspections of Jinlejia Group’s production facilities, R&D laboratories, and demonstration base for raw material cultivation. They gained a detailed understanding of the company’s strategies and achievements in food production processes, quality control systems, new product development plans, as well as mulberry leaf cultivation and deep processing. He carefully examined samples of innovative snacks and the mulberry leaf product series, inquiring in depth about key aspects such as raw material selection, formula design, production processes, and market feedback. He expressed high praise for Jinlejia Group’s dedication to the health food sector and its commitment to the “food as medicine” philosophy.

At the symposium, Chairman Zhao Kaike extended a warm welcome to Vice President Ye Yingwang and provided a detailed overview of Jinlejia Group’s development history, core businesses, and industrial plans. He noted that the Group leverages the local resource advantages of Luoyang to focus on the green, healthy, and leisure food sector. Specifically, in the edible mulberry leaf (Luosang 933) industry, the Group has established a full industrial chain encompassing “cultivation—R&D—production—sales.” Additionally, by collaborating with universities to build R&D platforms, the Group is actively exploring innovative snacks based on the concept of “food as medicine,” striving to integrate traditional dietary wisdom into everyday leisure foods to meet consumers’ growing demand for healthy and diverse dietary options.

Ba Zhijie, Head of Production Technology, provided additional insights into the nutritional properties of mulberry leaves, the challenges in product development, and the focus of technical research. He highlighted the Group’s technical explorations in areas such as mulberry leaf preservation, retention of active ingredients, and taste optimization, as well as the current progress in the development of innovative snacks and the status of market trials.

During the discussion, Vice Dean Ye Yingwang noted that the food-medicine industry has now entered a golden period of development valued at 370 billion yuan, with demand for health-related products remaining robust and significant potential for the modern, innovative transformation of traditional herbal ingredients. Mulberry leaves, as a typical food-medicine ingredient, are rich in dietary fiber, flavonoids, and active components such as DNJ (plant insulin). They offer health benefits including clearing heat, moistening dryness, and cleansing the liver to improve eyesight. With their transition from “silkworm feed” to health foods, they hold broad market prospects. He emphasized that innovative snacks serve as a vital vehicle for bringing the “food-as-medicine” culture to the masses. It is essential to adhere to the principles of “food-as-medicine, mild properties, and balanced nutrition,” balancing safety, taste, and functionality. At the same time, we must strengthen awareness of standards, follow industry technical specifications, and promote standardized, high-quality development of the industry.

Regarding the direction of cooperation between the two parties, Vice Dean Ye Yingwang proposed three recommendations: First, deepen industry-academia-research collaboration by leveraging the research and resource advantages of the Beijing Institute of Medicinal Dietary Therapy, combined with Jinlejia’s production and market capabilities, to jointly tackle the development of mulberry leaf deep-processing technologies and innovative snack recipes, thereby accelerating the commercialization of research outcomes; Second, to build a differentiated product portfolio by focusing on the needs of young consumers to develop visually appealing, portable, and context-specific mulberry leaf snacks and health foods, thereby enhancing product competitiveness; and third, to jointly establish an industry exchange platform. By leveraging industry resources such as the International Conference on the Innovative Development of Food and Medicine with the Same Origin, we will promote the branding and market-oriented development of Luoyang’s food-medicine industry, thereby contributing to rural revitalization.

This visit and research provided professional guidance and inspiration for the development of Jinlejia Group’s food-medicine integration industry, while also building a bridge for in-depth cooperation between the research institute and the enterprise. Moving forward, both parties will use this exchange as an opportunity to build consensus and move forward together. They will engage in practical cooperation in areas such as the research and development of innovative snacks based on the “food as medicine” concept and the industrial upgrading of edible mulberry leaves. By leveraging innovation to empower the inheritance of traditional dietary health culture and using quality to drive the development of the health industry, they will jointly write a new chapter in the high-quality development of the “food as medicine” industry.