Japan CAA Amends Food Labeling Standard

On February 6, 2024, Japan Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) unveiled Amendment No. 752 for the Food Labeling Standard with immediate effect. According to the amendment, due to the revision of Japan's Specifications and Standards for Food Additives, the labeling names of additives and allergens have been updated accordingly. The revised parts are marked in red.

Annexes 2-1 List of Existing Additives

The existing additives differ from the additives specified by MHLW in that they are safe additives widely used in Japan with a long history of consumption. In this revision, a comprehensive update has been made to the list, encompassing a total of 62 existing additives, which also includes the introduction of 29 newly established labeling names.

No.	Additives	Origin/manufacturing method/essence	Application	Status
4	Agrobacterium Succinoglycan	It is a polysaccharide obtained after being isolated from the culture medium of the agrobacterium tumefaciens. The main component is succinoglycan.	Thickening and stabilizing agents	Revised
9	Aspergillus Terreus Glycoprotein	It is a product obtained by sterilizing the fermentation broth of glucose, starch, and soybean meal using the aspergillus terreus, followed by fractionation with ammonium sulfate and desalting. The main component is glycoprotein.	Processing agents	Revised
12	Annatto Extract	It is a substance obtained from the seed coat of the bixaorellane LINNE. It can be extracted by heating the seed coat of the bixaorellane LINNE with oil or propylene glycol, or by extraction from the seed coat of the bixaorellane LINNE at room temperature with hexane or acetone followed by solvent removal. It can also be extracted from the seed coat of the bixaorellane LINNE with alkaline water at high temperature, hydrolyzed, and neutralized. The main pigments are bixin and norbixin, giving it a yellow to orange color.	Colorants	Revised
	Annatto Extract (Norbixin) Norbixin	/	Colorants	Newly added
	Annatto Extract (Bixin) Bixin	/	Colorants	Newly added
17	L-Alanine	/	Seasonings Enhancers	Unchanged
17	L-Alanine Solution	/	Seasonings Enhancers	Newly added
* The complete list is available here.

Annexes 2-3 Ordinary foods used as food additives

Additives	Origin/manufacturing method/essence	Application	Status
Red Cabbage Color	It is obtained from the red leaves (red cabbage, purple cabbage) of the Brassica oleracea LINNE var.capitata DC., by extraction with a weak acidic aqueous solution at room temperature. The main pigment is cyanidin acylglucoside, giving it a red to purplish-red color.	Colorants	Revised
Casein	It is a protein obtained from milk or skim milk through precipitation by acid treatment.	Processing agents	Revised
Black Currant Color	It is obtained from the fruits of ribes nigrum LINNE, by either juice extraction or extraction with water or a weak acidic aqueous solution at room temperature to slightly warm temperature. The main pigments are delphinidin-3-rutinoside and others, giving it a red to blue color.	Colorants	Revised

Annexes 3 Labeling regarding foods containing allergens

CAA made the following revisions to the "Examples of Labeling for Additives Derived from Specific Raw Materials" listed in Table 2 under Annex 3. Specific raw materials refer to the food ingredients that have been identified as ingredients causing food allergy symptoms.

Specific raw materials	Classification	Additives name
Soba	Existing additives	Rutin (extract)
Egg	Existing additives	Eggshell-baked calcium
Milk and dairy product	Existing additives	Whey-baked calcium

Notably, the CAA removed beef from 21 "foods comparable to specific raw materials". Those foods refer to processed foods that may cause food allergies but have fewer instances of severe reactions compared to Specific Raw Materials. Current 20 foods comparable to specific raw materials include almond, abalone, squid, ikra, orange, cashew, kiwi, walnut, sesame, salmon, mackerel, soybean, chicken, banana, pork, matsutake, peach, yam, apple, and animal gum.