1Japanese Agricultural Standard for Organic Processed Foods 
(Notification No. 1606 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of October 27, 2005) 
 (Provisional Translation) 
  
Established: Notification No.60 of January 20, 2000 
Partial revision: Notification No.1885 of November 18, 2003 
Full revision: Notification No.1606 of October 27, 2005 
Partial revision: Notification No.210 of February 28, 2006 
Partial revision: Notification No.1464 of October 27, 2006 
Partial revision: Notification No.834 of March 28, 2012 
Partial revision: Notification No.714 of March 27, 2015 
Partial revision: Notification No.489 of February 24, 2016 
Partial revision: Notification No.444 of March 27, 2017 
 
 
(Purpose) 
Article 1    The purpose of this standard is to define the criteria of production methods of organic 
processed foods. 
 
(Principle of Production of Organic Processed Foods) Article 2    The principle of the production of organic processed foods is as follows:  
To produce organic processed foods by processi ng methods utilizing physical and biological 
functions, avoiding the use of chemically synt hesized additives and chem ical agents, and by 
preserving the characteristics of organic plants a nd organic livestock products as ingredients in the 
manufacturing and processing process (organic plants and organic livestock products are prescribed 
in Article 3 of Notification No.1605 of the Minist ry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and 
Article 3 or Notification No.1608 of the Mini stry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
respectively; hereinafter the same).   
 
  (Definition) 
Article 3    In this standard, terms listed on th e left side of the table below are defined on the 
right side. 
Terms Definition
Organic processed foods Processed foods produced by the criteria in the next Article, of which weight 
of plants (except for organic plants), livestock products (except for organic 
livestock products), marine products , their processed foods and additives 
(except for generic food additives (tho se generally provided for eating or 
drinking as foods; hereafter the same.) graded as organic processed foods 
and processing aids) of the total ingredients (except for water and salt) and 
additives (except for processing aids) shall be no more than 5%. 
Organic processed foods 
of plant origin Organic processed foods, of which weight of plants (except for organic 
plants), livestock products, marine products, their processed foods and 
additives (except for generic food additives graded as organic processed 
foods and processing aids) of the total in gredients (except for water and salt) 
and additives (except for processing aids) shall be no more than 5%. 
Organic 
processed foods 
of animal origin Organic processed foods, of which wei ght of plants, livestock products 
(except for organic livestock products ), marine products, their processed 
foods and additives (except for generic food additives graded as organic 
processed foods and processing aids) of the total ingredients (except for 
water and salt) and additives (except for processing aids)  shall be no more than 5%. 
Organic 
processed foods 
of plant and animal origin  Organic processed foods other than organic processed foods of plant origin 
and organic processed foods of animal origin.  2Chemical 
treatments Treatments fall under the category of 1 or 2. 
1. To change chemical structure of substances by chemical ways (except for 
burning, calcining, melting, dry distillating, and saponifying; hereafter the 
same). 
2. To add substances which are gained by chemical treatments (including the 
case in which final produce doesn’t  contain the added substances). 
Recombinant 
DNA technologyTechnology to create recombinant DNA by connecting DNA through 
breakage and recombination using enzyme, transferring it into living cells and replicating it.  
Organic plants 
produced in the 
conversion fieldsPlants produced in conversion fields prescribed in item 2 in the criteria of 
“fields” in Article 4 of the Japanese Ag ricultural Standard for organic plants. 
 
 
  (Criteria of Production Methods) 
Article 4    The criteria of production methods for organic processed foods are as follows: 
 
 
Items 
 Criteria 
Ingredients and 
additives (including 
processing aids) The use of any materials except for t hose described as below is prohibited.
In case of difficulty to obtain organic plants, organic livestock products or 
organic processed foods with the same categories of those used for 
ingredients, those prescribed in items 2 or 4 may be used. 
1.  Following materials, limited to those with grading labels on their 
packages, containers or invoices. 
Notwithstanding the grading labels, when organic processed foods are 
produced, manufactured and processed by the same producer or manufacturer, and are graded by Article 14 and Article 19-3 of the Law 
Concerning Standardization etc. of Agricultural and Forestry products 
(Law No.175 of 1950), those plant a nd livestock products are permitted 
to be used as ingredients as well. 
(1) Organic plants 
(2) Organic processed foods 
(3) Organic livestock products 
2.  Plants and livestock products except for products described in 1. 
Following materials shall be excluded.   
(1) Plants and livestock products with the same categories of 
organic plants and organic livestock products used for ingredients. 
(2) Ionizing radiated foods 
(3) Foods produced by the recombinant DNA technology  
3.  Marine products (except for ionizing  radiated foods and those produced 
by the recombinant DNA technology). 
4.  Processed foods of plant, animal a nd fish origin (except for processed 
foods described in 1,(2), those with  the same categories of the organic 
processed foods of plant origin used for ingredients, ionizing radiated 
foods, and those produced by the recombinant DNA technology). 
5.  Salt 
6.  Water 
7. Additive described in Attached Tabl e 1 (except for those produced using 
the recombinant DNA technology; hereafter the same.) 
Rate of 
ingredients and Weight of ingredients and additives prescribed in item 2, 3, 4 and 7 (except 
for generic food additives graded as organic processed foods and processing  3additives aids) in the criteria of “ingredients” in this table shall be no more than 5% 
of the weight of all ingredients (e xcept for salt and salt) and additives 
(except for processing aids)). 
Management 
concerning manufacturing, 
processing, 
packaging, storage and other 
processes 1. Only physical method or method using biological function (except for 
those produced by the recombinant DNA technology; hereafter the same) shall be used for the manufacturing or processing. The use of additives 
shall be the minimum necessary. 
2. Organic plants, organic processed foods and organic livestock products 
used for ingredients shall be controlle d not to be mixed with other plants 
and livestock products or processed foods. 
3. Only physical method or method using biological function (except for the 
method using recombinant DNA technology) shall be used for pest and 
disease control. In the case that ordinary means are not effective enough, chemical agents listed in Attach ed Table 2 as well as food and food 
additives (including those processed using these as ingredients and 
except for the purpose of pests contro l for plants) may be used. When 
those prescribed in Attached Table 2 are used, contamination of those 
with ingredients, additives and products shall be prevented. 
4. In case of insufficient effect of pest and disease control only by method 
prescribed in 3, except for period of manufacturing or storing of organic 
processed foods, chemical agents not listed in Attached Table 2 may be 
used. When used, those agents shall be removed before starting manufacturing organic processed foods. 
5. Ionizing radiation shall not be used for pest and disease control, the foods 
preservation or sanitation. 
6. Foods produced or processed in  accordance with the criteria of 
“Ingredients and additives (including  processing aids)” and provisions 
from 1 to 5 on the above shall be  controlled to avoid exposure to 
substances for plant pest and disease control, detergent, disinfectant and 
other agents. 
 (Labelling of Organic Processed Foods and their ingredients) 
Article 5  Names of organic processed foods and their ingredients shall be labelled by methods 
prescribed below, even as shall be in accordance with Food labeling standards (Cabinet Office 
Ordinance NO. 20 in 2015). 
 
Division 
 Criteria 
Labelling of 
names 1. To attach one of the following labels. 
(1)  “有機○○” or “○○(有機 )” (which means organic ○○ or ○○ (organic) 
in Japanese.) 
(2) “オーガニック ○○” or “○○(オーガニック )” (which means organic 
○○ or ○○ (organic) in Japanese.) 
(Note) The generic name of the processed food shall be filled out in ○○. 
However, when generic names of organic processed foods of plant and 
animal origin described in ○○ is the same as the general name of organic 
processed foods of plant origin,  the description which clarifies those 
foods are "not organic processed foods of plant origin” shall be given 
adjacent to the name or commodity name.  
2. Notwithstanding the criteria 1, if organic plants harvested in the field under 
the conversion period are used, manufactured or processed as ingredients, 
the description “under the conversion peri od” shall appear before or after 
the name as prescribed in 1.  When the description “under the conversion 
period” is given adjacent to the commodity  name in the same size of letters 
larger than 14-point (JIS Z8305) in a contrasting colour to the  4backgrounds, the description “under the conversion period” before or after 
the name can be omitted. 
Labelling of 
names of 
ingredients 1. As for organic plants (except for organic plants harvested in fields under 
the conversion period), organic processe d foods (except for those in which 
organic plants harvested in fields under the conversion period are used as ingredients) or organic  livestock products, are used as such as “organic” 
shall appear in general names of plants or processed foods of plant origin. 
2. If organic plants harvested in fields under the conversion period are used, 
manufactured or processed as ingredients, the description “under 
conversion period” shall appear befo re or after raw material names as 
prescribed in 1.
 When the description “under the conversion period” is 
given adjacent to the commodity name in the same size of letters larger 
than 14-point (JIS Z8305) in a contrasting colour to the backgrounds, the description “under the conversion period ” before or after raw material 
names can be omitted. 
 
Attached Table 1     Additives 
INS 
numbe rs  
Additives Criteria
330 Citric acid 
 Limited to be used as pH adju ster or used for processed 
vegetable products or processed fruit products. 
331iii  Sodium citrate Limited to be used fo r dairy products or used for albumen 
and sausage as low temperature pasteurization.  
296 DL- malic acid  Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
270 Lactic acid Limited to be used for processed vegetable or rice 
products, for sausage as casing, for dairy products as coagulating agent, and for cheese in salting as pH 
ad
juster.
300 L- ascorbic acid Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
301 Sodium L-ascorbate Limited to be used for processed meat. 
 Tannin
(Extrac t) Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin as 
filter aid.
513 Sulphuric acid Limited to be used fo r extracted water in producing sugar 
as pH adjustment agent.
500i  Sodium carbonate  Limited to be used for confectionary, sugar, processed 
bean foods, noodles and bread, or for dairy products as neutralizing substance.
500ii Sodium bicarbonate Limited to be used for confectionary, sugar, processed 
bean foods, noodles and bread, beverages, vegetable products, processed fruits or for dairy products as neutralizing substance.
501i  Potassium ca rbonate Limited to be used for drying processed fruit products, or 
used for grain processed foods, sugar, processed beans produc
ts, noodles, bread or confectionary. 
170i  Calcium carbonate In case for livestock products , limited to be used for dairy 
products (except for coloring) and for cheese as coagulating agent.
503i  Ammonium carbonate Limited to be u sed for processed foods of plant origin.
503ii Ammonium 
bicarbonate Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
504i  Magnesium carbonate Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
508 Potassium chloride Limited to be used for processed vegetable products, fruits 
processed products, seasonings or soup. 
 5509 Calcium chloride Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin and 
cheese as coagulating agent, or used for edible fat and oil, processed vegetable products, processed fruit products, processed beans products, dairy products or processed meat.
511 Magnesium chloride Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin as 
coagulating agent or used for processed beans products.
 Crude sea water 
magnesium chloride Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin as 
coagulating agent or used for processed beans products.
524 Sodium hydroxide Limited to be used for processing sugar as pH adjustment 
agent or used for grain processed foods. 
525 Potassium hydroxide Limited to be used for processing sugar as pH adjustment 
agent.  
526 Calcium hydroxide Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
334 L- tartaric acid Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
335ii  L-sodium tartrate Limited to  be used for confectionary.  
336i  Potassium hydrogen 
L-tartrate Limited to be used for grain processed foods or 
confectionary.
341i  Calciu m dihydrogen
phosphate  Limited to be used for powders as expanding agent.
516 Calcium sulphate  Limited to be used  as coagulating agent or used for the 
confectionary, the processed beans products or bread yeas
t.
400 Alginic acid  Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
401 Sodium alginate Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
407 Carrageenan In case for processed foods  of animal origin, limited to be 
used for dairy products.  
410 Carob bean gum 
(Locust bean gum)  In case used for processed foods of animal origin, limited 
to be used for dairy products or processed mea t. 
412 Guar gum 
 In case used for processed foods of animal origin, limited 
to be used for dairy products, canned meat or egg products.
413 Tragacanth gum 
 
414 Arabian gum Limited to be used for dairy products, edible fat and oil or 
confectionary.
415 Xanthan gum 
 In case used for processed foods of animal origin, limited 
to be used for dairy products or confectionary. 
416 Karaya gum 
 In case used for processed foods of animal origin, limited 
to be used for dairy products or confectionary. 
 Casein Limited to be used fo rprocessed foods of plant origin.I
 Gelatine Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
440 Pectin In case used for processed foods of animal origin, limited 
to be used for dairy products.
 Ethanol In case used for processed foods of animal origin, limited 
to be used for processed meat.
307b  Mix tocopherol In case used for processed foods of animal origin, limited 
to be used for processed meat.
322 Lecithin (Vegetable-, 
Yolk-, Fractionated-, Sunflower-) Limited to those obtained without any bleaching treatment 
and in case used for processed foods of animal origin, limited to be used for dairy products, baby foods derived from milk, fat and oil products or dressing. 
553iii  Talc Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
 6558 Bentonite Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
559 Kaolin Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
 Diatomaceous earth Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
 Perlite Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
551 Silicon dioxide Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin as 
gel or colloidal solution.
 Active carbon Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin.
901 Beeswax Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin as 
separating agent.
903 Carnau ba wax Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin as 
separating agent..
 Wood ash 
 Limited to those derived or produced from natural sources 
without chemical treatment. Limited to be used for producing Okinawa soba, processed rice products, Japanese moist confectionaries, Chinese preserved eggs or alimentary konjac products or removing harshness of wild vegetable.
 Flavourings  
 Except those chemically synthesized.  
941 Nitrogen 
 
948 Oxygen 
 
290 Carbon dioxide 
 Enzyme 
 
 Substances which are 
generally provided for eating or drinking as foods and which are used as food additives
 Sodium hypochlorite Limited to be used for animal intestine as disinfection and 
used for egg as cleansing.
 Hypochlo rrous acid 
water Limited to be used for processed foods of plant origin
(limited to those made by electrolysis of saltwater  (limited to those used salt containing no less than 99% sodium chloride)), animal intestine as disinfection, or egg as cleansing
297 Fumaric acid Limited to be used fo r animal intestine as disinfection and 
used for egg as cleansing.
365 Monosodium fumarate Limited to be used for animal intestine as disinfection and 
used for egg as cleansing.
 Ozone Limited to be used for processed foods of plant 
origin, animal intestine as  disinfection, or egg as 
cleansin g
460(ii) Powdered cellulose Limited to be used as a filtering aid for organic 
processed foo ds of plant ori gin.
(Note)  INS numbers are numbers designated to additives by the International Numbering System 
(INS).  
Attached Table 2  Chemical Agents 
 
Chemical agents Criteria 
Extract from Pyrethrum Those without piperonyl butoxide as s ynergist. Exce pt 
 7for the purpose of pests control for plants  
Diatomaceous earth  
Sodium silicate 
 Except for the purpose of pests control for plan ts. 
Sodium bicarbonate 
Carbon dioxide 
Potassium soap (Soft soap) 
 Except for the purpose of pests control for plan ts. 
Ethanol 
 Except for the purpose of pests control for plan ts. 
Boric acid Limited to be used in containers, and except for the purpose 
of pests control for plants
Pheromone agen t Limited to those containing sex pheromone activity of insects as an active ingredient, and ex cept for the purpose of pests 
control for plants. 
Capsaici n Limited to be used as a repellent, and except for the 
purpose of pests control for plants  
Geranium extract Limited to be used as a repellen t, and except for the purpose 
of pests control for plants  
Citronella extract Limited to be used as a repellen t, and except for the purpose 
of pests control for plants  
(Notes)  The use of chemical agents shall be in accordance with the prescribed usage. 
 
The Supplementary Clause (Schedule) 
1. This notification becomes effective 30 days after publication. 
(Interim Measure) 2. Grading in accordance with the previous crite ria of the Japanese Agri cultural Standard for 
organic processed foods is permitted for 3 mont hs after the enforcement of this standard. 
 The Supplementary Clause (Notification No.210 of  the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and 
Fisheries of February 28, 2006) 
1. This notification becomes effective on March 1st, 2006. 
 
Supplementary Clause (Notification No.1464 of the Mi nistry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
of October 27, 2006) 
(Schedule) 
1. This notification becomes effective 30 days after publication. 
(Interim Measure) 
2. Grading in accordance with the previous crite ria of the Japanese Agri cultural Standard for 
organic processed food is permitted for 1 year  after the enforcement of this standard. 
 
The Supplementary Clause (Notification No.834 of  the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and 
Fisheries of March 28, 2012) With regard to organic processed foods graded in accordance with the previous criteria of the 
Japanese Agricultural Standard when
 this notification becomes effective, the organic processed 
foods then in force shall remain applicable. 
 
(Schedule of the last revision) 
Notification No.834 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of March 28, 2012 becomes effective as from April 27, 2012.