ADM Kao

ADM Kao LLC was a joint venture between Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Kao Corporation, established to manufacture and market Enova brand oil. Enova oil is a functional cooking oil rich in diacylglycerol (DAG), which is metabolized differently than conventional triacylglycerol oils and was marketed for weight management. The company operated a production facility in Decatur, Illinois, leveraging Kao's proprietary enzymatic technology and ADM's large-scale manufacturing and distribution network. However, the product was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in 2009 following safety concerns regarding process-induced impurities, specifically glycidyl fatty acid esters, found in DAG oils. The venture represents a significant historical attempt to commercialize clinically-backed functional lipids in the consumer health and nutrition market.