,Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) has introduced new requirements for enzyme manufacturers regarding the microorganisms used in food additive production. Until now, standards for enzymes specified the genus and species names of producing microorganisms, but as scientific taxonomy evolves, the names of these organisms may change even though the microorganism itself remains the same. Under the new system, manufacturers are required to notify the CAA whenever there is a change in the scientific name of a microorganism, while confirming that the strain used has not changed. They must also submit notifications for the microorganisms currently in use for enzyme production. The CAA will disclose this information on its website to ensure transparency, while safeguarding companies’ intellectual property. This measure is intended to prevent confusion between the names listed in standards and updated scientific classifications, thereby ensuring that enzymes manufactured with the same microorganisms can continue to be sold legally under the Food Sanitation Act.
Consumer News Region