New foods added to Japan’s specified ingredients list for allergy labeling
Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) issued a notice to add “cashew nut” and “sesame” to the ingredient list for a recommended allergy labeling. Consequently, 27 foods are in the current list of specified ingredients containing allergens. The notice required the industry (food products and additives) to assure the best possible labeling of newly added items by August 31, 2014.
In Japan, the labeling system for foods containing allergens is currently implemented by the CAA. A processed food made from specified raw materials or ingredients containing allergens requires a labeling to indicate that it contains them. The labeling of the food containing the specified ingredients is divided into two groups, involving mandatory and recommended labeling. The consideration of the labeling group is based on several factors such as number and severity of allergic cases as well as available scientific information. .
Recently, “cashew nut” and “sesame” were added to the ingredients list for recommended allergy labeling. Therefore, at present, the specified ingredients list has 27 kinds of food
(7 need a mandatory labeling, meanwhile the other 20 need a recommended labeling). Details of the list of specified ingredients containing allergens are as the table shown below.
Labeling
Name of Specified Ingredients
Mandatory (7)
Shrimp/prawn, crab, wheat, buckwheat, egg, milk and peanuts
Recommended(20)
abalone, squid, salmon roe, oranges,
cashew nut, kiwifruit, beef, walnuts,
sesame, salmon, mackerel, soybeans, chicken, bananas, pork, “matsutake” mushrooms, peaches, yams, apples and gelatin
References:
1. http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/reports/regulations/pdf/foodext2010e.pdf