2005 Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 81-89
The Japanese regulatory system of "Foods for Specified Health Use (FOSHU)" was set up to approve the statements made on food labels concerning the effect of the food on the human body in 1991 and that of "Foods with Nutrient Function Claims (FNFC)" standardized the nutrient function claims of vitamins and minerals in 2001. The International guideline of the Nutrient Function Claim, the Other Functional Claim and the Disease Risk Reduction Claims were adopted by the Codex Committee in 2004. The Structure/Function Claim, which is similar to the Other Function Claim, was enacted by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act in the U.S in 1994. Most of the statements of the Japanese FOSHU are close to the category of Structure/Function Claims in the U.S. or the Other function claim in Codex. The health claim on foods should always be based on scientific evidence and be in harmony with international standards.
