This page covers food additives, including their definition, historical background, regulations, and application procedures. Food additives are substances used in food manufacturing or preservation, such as preservatives, sweeteners, coloring agents, and flavoring agents. The Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) consults the Food Safety Commission of Japan and authorizes additives only when they are unlikely to harm human health. Since 1947, a positive list system has regulated food additives, permitting only designated safe additives. The CAA continuously reviews safety and monitors daily intake levels. As of April 1, 2024, responsibilities for food safety standards transferred from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to the CAA.
