Around the world, the use of food additives is strictly regulated with the aim of ensuring the additive safety and food process necessity of additive use. However, due to differences in economic, social, and dietary habits, food additive management systems vary from country to country and region to region. Food exporting companies should understand the specific regulations of their target countries in order to ensure product export compliance. In order to enable relevant enterprises to gain an in-depth understanding of the differences in food additive regulation in each country/region, Global Foodmate will provide an interpretation of the regulatory requirements for food additives in each country/region, and this time we will provide you with information on how food additives are managed in Japan.

Regulation of food additives in Japan

only food additives that are considered harmless to human health (excluding natural flavors and general dietary additives) by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, as well as food containing such additive preparations and food products are allowed to be used for the sale or sale for the purpose of manufacturing, processing, import, use, sale, storage or display, that is,  Japan currently implement the designation system on food additives.only food additives designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare can be used in the production or processing of food.

For additives that are not designated in Japan, companies can apply to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for designation. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare shall delegate the Japan Food Safety Commission to conduct a risk assessment of the additive and set a limit for the use of the additive, and then decides whether to designate the additive as a designated additive with the advice of the Pharmaceutical and Food Hygiene Review Committee under the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Classification of Food Additives in Japan

Food additives permitted in Japan are classified into four categories: designated additives, existing additives, natural flavors, and general dietary additives. Designated additives are those not harmful to human health and are designated as safe food additives. Existing additives are those with a long history of use in food processing and are considered to be safe. Natural spices are additives that are extracted from plants and animals for the purpose of adding flavor to food. General dietary additives are additives that can be used both as food and as food additives.

Use of food additives in Japan

Japan has developed "Food, additives, etc. specification standards" and "Food Additive Public Certification", the specified additives and existing additives composition specifications, production standards, use standards and quality maintenance methods, etc., the use of additives and the scope of use must comply with the provisions of the above standards and regulations. In principle, food additives that are not specified in the scope of use in the standards and regulations are considered to be used in all foods. Food additives that are not specified in the use limits are generally substances that have been evaluated by the Japan Food Safety Commission's risk assessment and are not considered to be hazardous to human health and do not require the setting of use limits, so such additives are used in accordance with GMP.

 The use of natural spices in food fragrance is very little, Japan has not set the use of natural spices range and use limit; Due to the particularity that general dietary additives can be used as both food and food additives, Japan has not set the use scope and use limit of this kind of additives, that is, in principle, natural spices and general dietary additives can be used in all foods in accordance with GMP.

Labeling of food additives in Japan

The Food Labeling Law clearly stipulates that food products must be labeled with the name of the food, additives, raw materials, and other related matters to ensure the consumer's right of choice and right to be informed. The Food Labeling Standard provides more detailed labeling requirements for food and food additives. For food additives used in food, in principle, the name of the additive substance should be labeled; certain additives can be labeled as its functional name or abbreviation instead of the additive substance labeling; when the food additives used as sweeteners, coloring agents, preservatives, thickeners, etc., they should be labeled with the substance name and functional name of the relevant additives.

The Food Labeling Law enacted in 2013 and the Food Labeling Standard enacted in 2015 do not contain provisions on the non-use or non-additive additives, which makes some food companies arbitrarily label "non-use" or "non-additive" on their product packaging. Therefore, on March 30, 2022, the Consumer Agency of Japan issued the "Guidelines for the Labeling of No Use of Food Additives" to regulate the labeling of non-use or non-additive on products. Therefore, on March 30, 2022, the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan issued the "Guidelines for the Labeling of Non-Use of Food Additives" to regulate the labeling of "non-use" or "non-additives" on products.