Chitosan キトサン

In Japan: Foods with Function Claims notifications

Under Foods with Function Claims, the company notifies the Consumer Affairs Agency of the scientific evidence on its own responsibility; the government does not review or approve it. You can look up each product's notification by the number on the package in the Consumer Affairs Agency's database (Japanese).

In Japan: Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU)

Approved claims by category: Cholesterol 48

FOSHU products are reviewed and approved one by one by the government (Consumer Affairs Agency) for effectiveness and safety. The counts are of products whose functional ingredient matches this ingredient. Source: Consumer Affairs Agency, list of approved FOSHU products (Japanese). Claims are our translation.

In the EU: the register of health claims

EU-authorised claim

• "Chitosan contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels" is authorised (condition: 3 g per day).
• Claims such as "reduces body weight" and "intestinal transit" were not authorised because EFSA found them not substantiated (2011 opinions).

In the EU, only health claims whose evidence has been assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and authorised by the European Commission may be used on food. “Not authorised” means the evidence for that claim was not established under EU standards — not that the ingredient is dangerous.

Other ingredients in the same categories

• Ellagic acid
• Tea catechins
• Barley beta-glucan
• Hydroxytyrosol
• HMPA
• Alpha-linolenic acid