Food additive databaseantioxidantChecked 2026-10-02

Catechin カテキン

Existing food additiveNot on the EU additive list

Purpose: antioxidant
On the label: “酸化防止剤（カテキン）” (antioxidant (catechin))
Name in the List of Existing Food Additives: カテキン (No. 56)
Source and production: Obtained from the stems or leaves of the tea plant (Theaceae family), the trunk and branches of Acacia catechu (legume family), or the trunk, branches, or leaves of gambir (Uncaria gambir, Rubiaceae family), either by dry distillation followed by extraction with water or ethanol and purification, or by hot-water extraction followed by partitioning with methanol or ethyl acetate. The components are catechins.

In Japan

Consists of catechins, obtained by extraction and purification from tea stems and leaves, the trunk and branches of Acacia catechu, and the trunk, branches, and leaves of gambir. Its purpose in the List of Existing Food Additives is antioxidant.
When used as an antioxidant, the purpose name must be shown alongside, written like “酸化防止剤（カテキン）” (antioxidant (catechin)). There are no standards for use.

Japan's standards for use

There are no standards for use that limit which foods or how much (the general standards for all additives still apply).

This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.

In the EU

It is not on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II), so it cannot be used as a food additive in the EU.

Sources

Checked 2026-10-02. Rules and evaluations change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.

This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies; it is not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. The ADI is a guide to the amount that is considered safe to take every day over a lifetime.

Other substances used as antioxidant

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