About Functional Foods
What is Food with Functional Labeling? Functional foods are foods that are labeled as functional based on scientific evidence at the responsibility of the company.
Foods can be labeled as "having a specific health purpose (useful for the maintenance and promotion of health). Information on the basis of safety and functionality must be submitted to the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency prior to marketing, but unlike Food for Specified Health Uses (Tokuho)*, it is not subject to individual approval by the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency.
*Food for Specified Health Use (Tokuho) Foods that have been approved by the Director-General of the Consumer Affairs Agency after a national review of the labeled effects and safety.