Ingredients A–ZDashi and umamiChecked 2026-09-30
Acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein (amino acid liquid) アミノ酸液
Food ingredientUsed in 2 products on this site
A savory liquid made by breaking down plant proteins such as soybean with acid. It is used in the “混合醸造” (mixed-brewing) and “混合” (mixed) methods of making soy sauce, and to season sauces, pickles, and other foods.
How it appears on labels
| On the label (Japanese) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| アミノ酸液 | amino acid liquid |
Labeling rules
- In its soy sauce section, the Food Labeling Standards (Appended Table 3) define “アミノ酸液” (amino acid liquid) as “plant protein such as soybean treated with acid”. The same section gives different names to related products: protein treated with protease enzymes is called “酵素分解調味液” (enzyme-hydrolyzed seasoning liquid), and wheat gluten that has been fermented and broken down is called “発酵分解調味液” (fermented-hydrolyzed seasoning liquid).
- Soy sauce made by adding amino acid liquid and the like to the moromi (mash) and fermenting and aging it is written “混合醸造” (mixed brewing) in the parentheses of its name, and soy sauce made by adding amino acid liquid and the like to the finished soy sauce is written “混合” (mixed) (Appended Tables 3 and 4). It is not used in honjozo (naturally brewed) soy sauce.
- The Consumer Affairs Agency's Q&A on the Food Labeling Standards (加工-76) treats amino acid liquid obtained by hydrolyzing animal or plant protein, in which the amino acids are not separated out one by one and various amino acids remain mixed together, as a food, like meat extract, so no food additive labeling is needed. On the other hand, if a food additive such as sodium L-glutamate is added to amino acid liquid, that food additive must be labeled.
Good to know
- It is different from the food additive “調味料（アミノ酸等）” (seasoning (amino acids, etc.)). “調味料（アミノ酸等）” refers to amino acids and the like made of a single component, such as sodium L-glutamate, and is written after the slash (／) in the ingredient list. Amino acid liquid is written before the slash (／), in the sequence of foods.
- “たん白加水分解物” (protein hydrolysate) is also an umami ingredient made by breaking down protein, and it is treated as a food. It is explained under “たんぱく加水分解物” (protein hydrolysate) in the additive database.
- Among the products on this site, the okonomi sauce (オタフクソース, Otafuku Sauce) lists “アミノ酸液” (amino acid liquid) as the 4th ingredient. The same product also uses “蛋白加水分解物” (protein hydrolysate) and the food additive “調味料（アミノ酸等）” (seasoning (amino acids, etc.)).
Products on this site that contain it
Product pages are in Japanese for now; each one reads every ingredient on the label.
Related pages
- Ingredient: Soy sauce (honjozo)
- Ingredient: Meat extract, seafood extract, etc. (“〇〇エキス”, “… extract”)
- Additive database: Protein hydrolysate
- Additive database: “調味料（アミノ酸等）” (seasoning (amino acids, etc.))
- Article: Umami seasonings and “化学調味料無添加” (no chemical seasonings added)
- Article: Monosodium glutamate (umami seasoning)
- Products on this site: Sauces and ketchup
Sources
- Food Labeling Standards (Cabinet Office Ordinance No. 10 of 2015) — e-Gov Japanese Law Search
- Q&A on the Food Labeling Standards (revised March 28, 2025) — Consumer Affairs Agency
Sources are in Japanese unless noted otherwise. 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 standards of public bodies and industry associations. It does not judge whether an ingredient or product is good or bad. If you have a food allergy, always check the label on the package.