Current situation and problems about Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) of health foods

Abstract

Health foods served with tablets or capsules contain concentrated functional substances and may cause health damage due to potent bioactivities. In 2005, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan (MHLW) provided the guidelines to manufacture health foods using the method of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and to ensure safety of raw materials and products. The amendment of the Food Sanitation Act in 2018 in MHLW has introduced a designation system for imposing mandatory GMP of foods containing the ingredients and components that require particular care. These issues will be discussed.