Food additive databaseAdds umamiChecked 2026-09-27
Glycine グリシン
Food additiveSimilar rules abroadUsed in 1 product on this site
- Purpose
- adjusts taste, extends shelf life slightly
- On the label
- “グリシン” (glycine), “調味料（アミノ酸）” (seasoning (amino acids))
Flagged additives are marked when you use the Ingredient Checker (choose others).
In Japan
- An amino acid and a designated additive (one designated by the government). There are no standards for use as a food additive (rules on which foods it may be used in and how much) (FSCJ evaluation report).
- When used to adjust taste, it can be written together with other amino acids as “調味料（アミノ酸）” (seasoning (amino acids)) (a group name). It may also be written by its substance name, “グリシン” (glycine).
- It is also used as a “shelf-life extender” (日持ち向上剤), which works more weakly than a preservative. There is no purpose name for shelf-life extenders, so only the substance name is written (Hiroshima Prefecture explanation).
- In 2004, JECFA evaluated it as a flavoring and did not apply the safety-evaluation procedure for flavorings, because the amount people get from the protein in food is far larger.
- On this site, the product “太鼓判 中華そば” (Taikoban Chukasoba, Chinese-style noodles) lists it by the substance name “グリシン” (glycine), so the label does not tell you what it was used for.
Under stricter rules abroad
Category: Similar rules abroad
- The EU also permits it as E640 (glycine and its sodium salt). It is in the group of additives that may be used in many foods at the amount needed (Group I) (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II).
Products on this site that contain it
| Product | As written on the label |
|---|---|
| 「太鼓判」中華そば 3食シマダヤ | グリシン |
Product pages are in Japanese for now; each one reads every ingredient on the label.
Related pages
Sources
- Food Labeling Standards (Cabinet Office Ordinance No. 10 of 2015) (Japanese)
- EU Regulation 1333/2008 (EUR-Lex)
- JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) database
- Food Safety Commission of Japan (Japanese)
Last checked 2026-09-27. Rules change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.
The categories are not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies.