News Details
Japan Releases Q and A Document to Clarify Provisions of Positive List for Food Contact Materials
On 6 February 2025, Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) published a Q&A document on its portal to clarify the provisions of a Positive List for Food Contact Materials (FCMs). The Positive List is currently in a 5-year transition period ending on 1 June 2025. At the end of the transition period, only entries on the list will be permitted in food contact applications. New materials must undergo assessment before they can be added to the list.
Key Insights from the Q&A Document
The main focus of the Q&A document is the Positive List of FCMs, which is governed by the Food Sanitation Act and overseen by the CAA. In general, this Act provides the basis for establishing standards for FCMs.
The Q&A document covers topics which include following:
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Scope and definition of the Positive List.
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Exclusions from the list.
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Specific product categories.
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Provisions for polymeric substances.
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Limits for additives.
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Implementation guideline.
Guidance for Stakeholders
The Food Sanitation Act regulates FCMs in Japan, and the CAA frequently updates its portal to reflect the most recent changes to the requirements and criteria for foods and food additives. The purpose of this Q&A document is to help suppliers, importers, and manufacturers in making efficient use of the Positive List. Adhering to the list helps to prevent non-compliance in the manufacture, import and supply of FCMs.
We acknowledge that the above information has been compiled from Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) & Food Sanitation Act-Japan.
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