Japan has proposed amendments to the Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act to update the official analytical methods used for the enzyme food additives Fructosyl Transferase and Glutaminase.
Japan is amending the official testing methods used to verify the activity of two enzyme food additives:
1.Fructosyl Transferase (used in the production of fructooligosaccharides and other carbohydrate-modified products)
2.Glutaminase (used in food processing to convert glutamine into glutamic acid, often for flavour enhancement)
The amendments affect the Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc., which contain legally binding methods that manufacturers, laboratories, and regulators must use to demonstrate compliance. The proposal introduces a new reagent, L-Glutamic Acid Determination Pretreatment TS, revises the composition of an existing determination solution, and updates testing procedures, including reagent volumes, reaction conditions, and absorbance measurement parameters used to assess enzyme activity. The amendments, recommended by the Committee on Food Additives in March 2026, are intended to improve the accuracy, sensitivity, and reliability of compliance testing.
While the changes do not affect the authorization, permitted uses, or safety requirements of these additives, manufacturers and testing laboratories supplying the Japanese market may need to update their analytical methods and quality control procedures to align with the revised standards.
Consumer News Region