Draft revision of Japanese Agricultura l Standard for Organic Processed Foods 
(Notification No. 1606 of th e Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of October 27, 2005) 
(Preliminary 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:  Notificat ion No.834 of March  28, 2012 
Partial revision:  Notificat ion No.714 of March  27, 2015 
Partial revision:  Notification No.489 of  February 24,  2016 Partial revision:  Notification No.444 of March  27, 2017 
Partial revision: Notification No.683 of March 29, 2018 
 
(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 proce ssing methods utilizing physical and biological 
functions, avoiding the use of chemically synthe sized additives and chemical agents, and by 
preserving the characteristics of or ganic plants and 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 Mini stry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and 
Article 3 or Notification No.1608 of the Minist ry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
respectively; hereinafter the same). 
 
(Definition) Article 3  In this standard, terms listed on the left side  of the table below are defined on the right 
side. 
Terms
 Definition  
Organic 
processed foods  Processed foods produced by the criteri a in the next Article, of which 
weight of plants (except for organi c plants), livestock products (except 
for organic livestock products), mari ne products, their processed foods 
and additives (except for generic food additives (those generally 
provided for eating or drinking as foods ; hereafter the same.) graded as 
organic processed foods and processi ng aids) of the total ingredients 
(except for water and salt) and add itives (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 tota l ingredients (except for water and 
salt) and additives (except for proces sing aids) shall be no more than 
5%.
 
Organic processed foods of animal origin
 Organic processed foods, of which weight 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   
of plant and 
animal originOrganic processed foods other than organic processed foods of plant origin and organic processe d foods of animal origin.
  
 Chemical 
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 
technology  Technology 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 Plants produced in convers ion fields prescribed in item 2 in the criteria 
of “fields” in Article 4 of the Japanese Agricultural 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 those described as below is prohibited. In case of difficulty to obtain organic plants, organic livestock products or organic proces sed foods with th e 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 10 and Article 30 of the Law Concerning Standardization etc. of Agricultural and Forestry products (Law No.175 of 1950), those 
plant and 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 excep t 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  and 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 Table 1 (except for those 
produced using the recombinan t DNA technology; hereafter 
the same.) 
 Rate of 
ingredients and additives
 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 aids) in the criteria of  “ingredients” in this table shall 
be no more than 5% of the weight of all ingredients (except for salt 
and salt) and additives (e xcept 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 recomb inant 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 processe d foods and organic livestock 
products used for ingredients shall be controlled 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 recombinan t DNA technology) shall be used 
for pest and disease control. In the case that ordinary means are not 
effective enough, chemical agents li sted in Attached Table 2 as well 
as food and food additives (including those processed using these as ingredients and except for the purpose of pests control for plants) 
may be used. When those prescribed in Attached Table 2 are used, 
contamination of those with ingr edients, 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 manufact uring organic processed foods. 
5 Ionizing radiation shall not be used for pest and dise ase control, the 
foods preservation or sanitation. 
6 Foods produced or processed in accordance with the criteria of 
“Ingredients and additives (inc luding 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, 
disinfectan
t and othe r agents. 
 
(Labelling of Organic Processed Foods and their ingredients) 
Article 5 Names of organic proces sed foods and their ingredients shall be labelled by methods 
prescribed below, even as shall be in accord ance with Food labeling standards (Cabinet Office 
Ordinance NO. 20 in 2015). 
 
 
Division   
Criteria  
Labeling 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.) 
（3）“organic○○” or “○○（organic） 
（4）“ビオ○○” or “○○(ビオ)” (which means bio ○○ or ○○ (bio) 
in Japanese.) 
(5)“bio○○” or “○○(bio)” 
(Note) The generic name of the pro cessed 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 orig in, the description which clarifies 
those foods are "not organic processe d 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  
 contrasting colour to the bac kgrounds, the description “under the 
conversion period” before or af ter the name can be omitted.  
Labelling of 
names of ingredients
 1. As for organic plants (except for or ganic plants harvested in fields 
under the conversion period), organic processed foods (except for those in which organic plants harvested in fields under the 
conversion period are used as ingred ients) or organic   livestock 
products, are used as such as “org anic” shall appear in general 
names of plants or proces sed foods of plant origin. 
2. If organic plants harvested in fi elds under the conversion period are 
used, manufactured or processed as ingredients, the description 
“under conversion period” shall appear  before or after raw material 
names as prescribed in 1. Wh en the description “under the 
conversion period” is gi ven adjacent to the co mmodity name in the 
same size of letters larger than 14-point (JIS Z8305) in a contrasting 
colour to the backgrounds, the de scription “under the conversion 
period” 
before o r after raw material names can be omitted.  
 
Attached Table 1         Additives 
INS 
numbers  
Additives   
Criteria  
330 Citric acid  Limited to be used as pH adjuste r or used fo r 
processed vegetable produc ts or processed fruit 
products.  
331iii Sodiu m citrate  Limited to be used fo r dairy products o r used fo r 
albumen and sausage as low temperature 
pasteurization.  
296 DL- malic acid  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
270 Lactic acid  Limite d to be use d for processe d vegetable or 
rice products, for sausag e as casing, for dairy 
products as coagulating agent, and for cheese in saltin
g as pH ad juster. 
300 L- ascorbic acid  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
301 Sodiu m L-ascorbate  Limited to be used fo r processed meat.  
 Tanni n 
(Extract)  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t origin 
as filte r aid. 
513 Sulphuric acid  Limited to be used fo r extracted wate r in producing 
sugar as pH adjustment agent.  
500i Sodiu m carbonate  Limited to be used fo r confectionary, sugar, 
processed bean foods, noodles and bread, or for dairy products as neutralizing substance.
 
500ii Sodiu m bicarbonate  Limited to be used fo r confectionary, sugar, 
processed bean foods, noodle s and bread, beverages, 
vegetable products, proce ssed fruits or for dairy 
products as neutralizing substance.  
501i Potassiu m carbonate  Limited to be used fo r drying processed frui t 
products, or used for grain processed foods, sugar,  
processed beans produc ts, noodles, bread or 
confectionary. 
170i Calciu m carbonate  In case fo r livestock products , limited to be used fo r 
dairy products (except for coloring) and for cheese as 
coagulating agent.  
503i Ammoniu m carbonate  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
503ii Ammoniu m 
bicarbonate  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
504i Magnesiu m carbonate  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  508 Potassiu m chloride  Limited to be used fo r processed vegetable products, 
fruits processed products, seasonings or soup.  
509 Calciu m chloride  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t origin 
and cheese as coagulating agent, or used for edible fat and oil, processed vegetabl e products, processed fruit 
products, processed beans pr oducts, dairy products or 
processed meat.
 
511 Magnesiu m chloride  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t origin 
as coagulating agent or used for processed beans 
products.  
 Crude sea wate r 
magnesium chloride  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t origin 
as coagulating agent or used for processed beans 
products.  
524 Sodiu m hydroxide  Limited to be used fo r processing suga r as pH 
adjustment agent or used for grain processed foods.  
525 Potassiu m hydroxide  Limited to be used fo r processing suga r as pH 
adjustment agent.  
526 Calciu m hydroxide  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
334 L- tartaric acid  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
335ii L-sodiu m tartrate  Limited to be used fo r confectionary.  
336i Potassiu m      
hydrogen L-tartrate  Limited to be used fo r grain processed foods o r 
confectionary.  
341i Calciu m      
dihydrogen phosphate  Limited to be used fo r powders as expanding agent.  
516 Calciu m sulphate  Limited to be used as coagulating agen t or used fo r 
the confectionary, the processed beans products or 
bread yeast.  
400 Alginic acid  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
401 Sodiu m alginate  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
407 Carrageenan  In case fo r processed foods of animal origin, limited 
to be used fo r dairy products.  
410 Carob bean gu m 
(Locust bean gum)  In case used fo r processed foods of animal origin, 
limited to be used for da iry products or processed 
meat.  
412 Guar gum In case used fo r processed foods of animal origin, 
limited to be used for dair y products, canned meat or 
egg products.  
413 Tragacant h gum  
414 Arabian gu m Limited to be used fo r dairy products, edible fa t and oil 
or confectionary.  
415 Xanthan gu m In case used fo r processed foods of animal origin, 
limited to be used for dair y products or confectionary.  
416 Karaya gu m In case used fo r processed foods of animal origin, 
limited to be used for dair y products or confectionary.  
 Casein  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.I  
 Gelatine  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
440 Pectin  In case used fo r processed foods of animal origin, 
limited to be used  for dairy products.  
 Ethanol  In case used fo r processed foods of animal origin, 
limited to be used for processed meat.  
307b Mix tocopherol  In case used fo r processed foods of animal origin, 
limited to be used fo r processed meat.  322 Lecithin (Vegetable-, 
Yolk-, Fractionated-, 
Sunflower-)  Limited to those obtained withou t 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 fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
558 Bentonite  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin. Limited to be used for processed foods of 
plant origin.  
559 Kaolin  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
 Diatomaceous earth  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
 Perlite  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
551 Silicon dioxide  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t origin 
as gel or colloidal solution.  
 Active carbon  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t 
origin.  
901 Beeswax  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t origin 
as separating agent.  
903 Carnauba wax  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t origin 
as separating agent..  
 Wood ash  Limited to those derived o r produced fro m 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  Excep t those chemically synthesized.  
941 Nitrogen   
948 Oxyge n  
290 Carbon dioxide   
 Enzyme   
 Substances which are 
generally provided for eating or drinking as foods and which are used as food additives
  
 Sodiu m hypochlorite  Limited to be used fo r animal intestine as disinfection 
and used for egg as cleansing.  
 Hypochlorrous       
acid water  Limited to be used fo r processed foods of plan t origin 
(limited to those made by electrolysis of saltwater 
(limited to those used sa lt 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 Monosodiu m fumarate  Limited to be used fo r animal intestine as disinfection 
and used for egg as cleansing.  
 Ozone Limite d to be use d for processe d foods of plant 
origin, animal intestine as disinfection, or egg as 
cleansin g 
460(ii)  Powdere d cellulose Limite d to be use d as a filtering ai d for organic 
processe d foods of plant ori gin. 
(Note)    INS numbers are numbers designated to additives by the International Numbering 
System (INS). A t t a c h e d  T a b l e  2               C h e m i c a l  A g e n t s  
 
 
Chemical agents   
Criteria  
Extrac t from Pyrethru m Those without piperonyl butoxide as synergist. 
Exce pt for the purpose of pests control for plants 
Diatomaceous earth   
Sodiu m silicate  Excep t for the purpose of pests control fo r plants.  
Sodiu m bicarbonate   
Carbon dioxide   
Potassiu m soap (Sof t soap)  Excep t for the purpose of pests control fo r plants.  
Ethanol  Excep t for the purpose of pests control fo r plants.  
Boric acid  Limited to be used in contai ners, and excep t for the 
purpose of pests control fo r plants  
Pheromone agen t Limited to those containing sex pheromone activity of 
insects as an active ingredient, and except for the purpose of pests control for plants.
 
Capsaici n Limite d to be use d as a repellent, an d except fo r 
the purpose of pests control for plants 
Geraniu m extrac t Limited to be used as a repellent, and excep t for the 
purpose of pests control for plants  
Citronella extrac t Limited to be used as a repellent, and excep t for the 
purpose of pests control for plants  
(Notes)   The use of chemical agents shall be in accordance with the prescribed usage. 
 
 
(Schedule of the last revision) Notification No.683 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of March 29, 2018 shall be 
effective as from April 1, 2018.