Food additive databaseenzymeChecked 2026-10-02

Papain パパイン

Existing food additiveEU: covered by the food enzymes rules

Purpose: enzyme
On the label: “酵素” (enzyme), “パパイン” (papain)
Name in the List of Existing Food Additives: パパイン (No. 218)
Source and production: A protein-degrading enzyme obtained from the fruit of the papaya.

In Japan

An enzyme that breaks down protein, obtained from the fruit of the papaya (definition in the Specifications and Standards for Food Additives). No standards for use are set.
It falls within the group name “酵素” (enzyme), and if it stays active and keeps its effect in the final food, it can be written together as “酵素”. Labeling is exempt when it counts as a processing aid, for example when it is inactivated or removed during manufacturing (Food Labeling Standards).

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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