Food additive databaseenzymeChecked 2026-10-02

Cellulase セルラーゼ

Existing food additiveEU: covered by the food enzymes rules

Purpose: enzyme
On the label: “酵素” (enzyme; group name used when it remains active and has an effect in the final food), “セルラーゼ” (cellulase), “カルボヒドラーゼ” (carbohydrase), not labeled when it counts as a processing aid
Name in the List of Existing Food Additives: セルラーゼ (No. 167)
Source and production: An enzyme that hydrolyzes cellulose, obtained from cultures of basidiomycetes, filamentous fungi, actinomycetes, or bacteria (types limited by the specifications and standards). Another name is “繊維素分解酵素” (cellulose-degrading enzyme).

In Japan

An enzyme that breaks down cellulose (plant fiber); another name is “繊維素分解酵素” (cellulose-degrading enzyme). The short name is “カルボヒドラーゼ” (carbohydrase).
There are no standards for use. When it remains active and has an effect in the final food, it can be written with the group name “酵素” (enzyme), but when it counts as a processing aid (for example, inactivated during manufacturing), labeling is exempt.

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

In the EU, food enzymes are covered by the food enzymes regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008), not by the list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II).

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 enzyme

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