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뉴트라잇BENESOMNO

Translating Science
into Nutraceutical Ingredients

Nutra-it is a healthcare R&D company that creates value for human health through scientific research. Through technological innovation, we develop differentiated nutraceutical ingredients to support health and well-being.

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Vision & Values

Advancing human healththrough world-class R&D

A researcher examining a test tube of lime extract

  • Ethical Management

    Upholding integrity and transparency in everything we do

  • Technological Innovation

    Creating future value through differentiated R&D

  • Globalization

    Expanding our presence in markets around the world

  • Responsible Management

    Taking responsibility for the safety and quality of our ingredients

Team

  • Sam Cho, PhD

    CEO

    6YEARSWITH NUTRA-IT

  • Sunny Kim, PhD

    Research DirectorR&D Center

    6YEARSWITH NUTRA-IT

  • Chloe Choi

    Principal Research ScientistR&D Center

    5YEARSWITH NUTRA-IT

  • Yuri Jeong

    Research ScientistR&D Center

    2YEARSWITH NUTRA-IT

History

  1. 2021

    • 02Nutra-it Inc. founded
    • 05Selected for the K-Startup support program [KRW 100M]

  2. 2022

    • 04Investment secured [KRW 100M / Chungbuk Center for Creative Economy & Innovation]
    • 07Selected for the TIPS R&D program [KRW 500M]
    • 07Investment secured [KRW 100M / private investors]
    • 09Certified as a venture company

  3. 2023

    • 05Investment secured [KRW 500M / Magna Investment]

  4. 2024

    • 01Corporate R&D Center established
    • 11Selected for the TIPS Overseas Marketing Support Program [KRW 110M]

  1. 2025

    • 05BENESOMNO™ (lime peel extract) approved as an individually recognized functional ingredient by the MFDS
    • 09BENESOMNO™ (lime peel extract) listed as a New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) with the U.S. FDA
    • 09Selected for the TIPS Startup Commercialization Program [KRW 120M]
    • 10BENESOMNO™ exhibited at the SSG 2025 New Product Zone
    • 12Investment secured [KRW 1.5B / Magna Investment]
    • 12Achieved annual revenue of KRW 1B

  2. 2026

    • 01BENESOMNO™ exported to China
    • 01BENESOMNO™ exported to Taiwan
    • 04BENESOMNO™ exported to the United States
    • 04Completed commercial-scale production of BENESOMNO-X™ (a new functional ingredient)
    • 04Completed commercial-scale production of EVERLIME™ (a cosmetic ingredient)
    • 06Won the Young Prize [World FoodTech ConfEx]
    • 08BENESOMNO™ exported to Malaysia
    • 09Selected for the Scale-up TIPS (specialized track) R&D program [KRW 4B]
    • 11Received the Jang Young-sil Award (lime peel extract, BENESOMNO™)

R&D Pipeline

Nutra-it discovers ingredients that support health and beauty and conducts R&D from efficacy and safety evaluation to mechanism-of-action studies and ingredient development. Our goal is to systematically evaluate the bioactivity and safety of naturally derived materials and develop them into differentiated functional ingredients.

Our nutraceutical research focuses on sleep, stress and cognitive function—key areas related to the nervous system and quality of life. We evaluate the bioactivity and safety of naturally derived materials, investigate their mechanisms of action and validate their health benefits through human clinical trials. Through this research, we develop functional ingredients to support health and quality of life.

Our cosmetic research explores the effects of natural materials on skin biology. We develop evidence-based cosmetic ingredients through efficacy and safety evaluation and formulation feasibility studies.

  • BENESOMNO

    • Lime peel extract
    • Sleep-support ingredient
    • MFDS recognition as a functional ingredient (2025)
    • U.S. FDA NDI notification (2025)
    • Additional human clinical trials in progress

  • BENESOMNO-X

    • High-purity lime flavonoids
    • Human clinical trial in progress
    • Regulatory approvals underway in Korea and abroad

  • EVERLIME

    • Lime-derived cosmetic ingredient
    • Research on skin benefits

  • Future Pipeline

    • Ingredient for menopausal support
    • Exploring new health benefits
    • Pipeline expansion through technology in-licensing

Research Network

Universities

  • Keck School of Medicine of USC
  • The University of Tokyo
  • Fudan University
  • Pukyong National University
  • Sejong University
  • Dong-eui University

Research Institutes

  • Institute for Basic Science
  • Korea Institute of Science and Technology
  • Korea Health Functional Food Research Institute
  • Korea Food Research Institute

National R&D Projects

  1. 1Early Startup Package

    Supporting Agency
    Ministry of SMEs and Startups
    Period
    2021.05 ~ 2022.02
    Budget (KRW million)
    100

  2. 2SME Technology Development Program (TIPS)

    Supporting Agency
    Ministry of SMEs and Startups
    Period
    2022.07 ~ 2024.12
    Budget (KRW million)
    550

  3. 3TIPS Overseas Marketing Support Program

    Supporting Agency
    Ministry of SMEs and Startups
    Period
    2024.11 ~ 2025.08
    Budget (KRW million)
    110

  4. 4TIPS Startup Commercialization Program

    Supporting Agency
    Ministry of SMEs and Startups
    Period
    2025.09 ~ 2026.06
    Budget (KRW million)
    120

  5. 5Scale-up TIPS (Specialized Track)

    Supporting Agency
    Ministry of SMEs and Startups
    Period
    2026.09 ~ 2029.08
    Budget (KRW million)
    4,000

Publications

  1. View Paper

    1Novel neuropharmacological activity of citrus lime (Citrus aurantifolia): A standardized lime peel supplement enhances non-rapid eye movement sleep by activating the GABA type A receptor

    Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

    SCI(E) · IF 7.5 · 2024

  2. View Paper

    2Efficacy and safety of standardized lime peel supplement in adults with sleep disturbance: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, polysomnographic study

    Phytomedicine

    SCI(E) · IF 11.3 · 2025

  3. View Paper

    3Regulatory safety evaluation of key lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) peel ethanol extract: Acute, 90-day repeated-dose, and genotoxicity studies

    Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology

    SCI(E) · IF 4.3 · 2026

Patents

Domestic

  1. View patent certificate

    1Composition for preventing, ameliorating or treating sleep disorder or insomnia, containing extract of roasted citrus byproduct as active ingredient

    Status
    Registered
    Registration (Application) No.
    10-2569228
    Date
    2023.08.17
  2. Applied

    2Composition for anti-depression, anti-anxiety, anti-stress or relaxation, containing extract of roasted lime byproduct as active ingredient

    Status
    Filed
    Registration (Application) No.
    10-2025-0042497
    Date
    2025.04.02
  3. Applied

    3Composition for improving liver function, containing extract of roasted lime byproduct as active ingredient

    Status
    Filed
    Registration (Application) No.
    10-2025-0042498
    Date
    2025.04.02
  4. Applied

    4Method for producing a purified flavonoid from extract of roasted citrus byproduct, purified flavonoid produced thereby, and its use as active ingredient for preventing sleep disorder or insomnia

    Status
    Filed
    Registration (Application) No.
    10-2026-0042949
    Date
    2026.03.10

International

  1. Applied

    1COMPOSITION FOR PREVENTING, AMELIORATING OR TREATING SLEEP DISORDER OR INSOMNIA, CONTAINING EXTRACT OF ROASTED CITRUS BYPRODUCT AS ACTIVE INGREDIENT

    Country
    USA
    Status
    Filed
    Registration (Application) No.
    18033699
    Date
    2023.04.25
  2. Applied

    2COMPOSITION FOR PREVENTING, AMELIORATING OR TREATING SLEEP DISORDER OR INSOMNIA, CONTAINING EXTRACT OF ROASTED CITRUS BYPRODUCT AS ACTIVE INGREDIENT

    Country
    China
    Status
    Filed
    Registration (Application) No.
    202280020678.9
    Date
    2023.10.09
  3. Applied

    3COMPOSITION FOR PREVENTING, AMELIORATING OR TREATING SLEEP DISORDER OR INSOMNIA, CONTAINING EXTRACT OF ROASTED CITRUS BYPRODUCT AS ACTIVE INGREDIENT

    Country
    Europe
    Status
    Filed
    Registration (Application) No.
    EP22911933.4
    Date
    2023.05.01
  4. Applied

    4Composition for anti-depression, anti-anxiety, anti-stress or relaxation, containing extract of roasted lime byproduct as active ingredient

    Country
    PCT
    Status
    Filed
    Registration (Application) No.
    PCT/KR2026/095399
    Date
    2026.04.01

Press

Read More Press

HQ & R&D center

BENESOMNO™ (Lime Peel Extract) Inquiries

benesomno@nutra-it.com
Email
mjkim@nutra-it.com
Tel
+82-2-2038-7370
Address
301, 3F, 60 Godeokbizvalley-ro, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 05203, Korea

Busan Branch

Email
mjkim@nutra-it.com
Tel
+82-51-629-5833
Address
1108, C15 bldg, Yongso-ro 45, Nam-gu, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea

Global Partners

BENESOMNO™ is expanding worldwide with distribution partners in key global markets.

World map showing BENESOMNO™ distribution partners in the United States, Italy, Korea, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand