Collagen Peptide Quality and Labeling Standard

JHFC-S-012　Enacted: 3 September 2026 / Effective: the same day

Japan Certified Health Food Council (JHFC) — English translation of the standard. In case of discrepancy the Japanese text prevails. Japanese original

Japan Certified Health Food Council (JHFC)

Enacted: 3 September 2026 / Effective: the same day

Preamble (Rationale for Enactment)

The peptide composition and molecular size of collagen peptides differ according to the source animal, tissue, pretreatment, and hydrolysis conditions. The amounts of gelatin, unhydrolyzed collagen, total protein, and collagen peptides are not interchangeable, and nitrogen content alone does not adequately establish raw material authenticity. This Standard is established to enable consistent verification from source tissues through hydrolysis, molecular weight distribution, and marker amino acids to final product labeling.

Article 1 (Purpose)

The purpose of this Standard is to evaluate animal species and tissue origin, identity as a hydrolysate, composition and molecular weight control, content labeling, process hygiene, testing, storage, and cautionary labeling for health foods formulated with collagen peptides.

Article 2 (Scope)

This Standard applies to peptide raw materials obtained by hydrolyzing collagen or gelatin from fish, mammals, or other specified animal tissues, and their oral products. Unhydrolyzed collagen, gelatin, isolated amino acids, or general protein hydrolysates shall not be treated as collagen peptides without supporting documentation.

Article 3 (Terms and Definitions)

1. Collagen peptides: A peptide mixture obtained by hydrolyzing collagenous proteins through a controlled process.
2. Source tissue: Skin, scales, bone, cartilage, or other tissue from which the raw material collagen was collected.
3. Hydrolysis history: Process information on enzymatic, acid, alkaline, or other treatments, and on fractionation and purification.
4. Molecular weight distribution: Information indicating the molecular size composition of a peptide mixture together with the analytical conditions used.
5. Collagen markers: Information used to identify raw materials, such as amino acid composition or peptide patterns supporting their origin.

Article 4 (Requirements)

1. For each lot, the raw material animal shall be identified by its common or scientific name, tissues used, whether it was farmed, reared, or collected, country of raw material origin, and location of primary processing. For mixed raw materials, each origin and the mixing process shall be recorded. Species confirmation shall use supply chain documentation together with protein, peptide, or genetic identification documentation appropriate to the degree of processing, and shall be checked against the origin labeling.
2. The manufacturing flow diagram shall show the steps used among washing, defatting, demineralization, gelatinization, hydrolysis, fractionation, desalting, concentration, and drying. Control points shall be established for the enzymes or chemicals used in hydrolysis, reaction termination, and removal, and gelatin and peptide fractions shall be distinguished within the process. The origins of processing aids shall also be included in the allergen assessment.
3. Identity and consistency shall be confirmed by a combination of amino acid composition, collagen markers, molecular weight distribution, and, where necessary, characteristic peptides. Total nitrogen or total protein alone shall not be used as the basis for identifying collagen peptides. The business operator shall establish specifications based on reference lots and production process variation, and shall present the rationale for their selection.
4. Content shall be expressed as the amount of collagen peptides per recommended daily intake, distinguished from the weight of the raw material preparation containing moisture, ash, carriers, flavoring ingredients, and free amino acids. Where content is converted from protein analysis values, the origin of the conversion factor and the treatment of non-protein nitrogen shall be recorded. Declared values and control ranges shall be established by the business operator on the basis of product documentation.
5. When measuring molecular weight distribution, the reference substances, separation conditions, detection system, and calculation method shall be recorded, and results obtained using different instruments or methods shall not be directly compared without further consideration. For combination products, the effects of other proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, and fats and oils on extraction and detection shall be examined. Values in raw material certificates of analysis shall not be used as final product values.
6. Process and lot testing shall select targets from microorganisms, residual chemicals, ash, foreign matter, allergens, and substances originating from the raw material environment, taking into account the animal species and tissue, hydrolysis method, and drying process. Where verification by a third-party organization is declared, the certificate of analysis shall specify which items were tested among species identification, composition, molecular weight, and hygiene parameters, and at which sample stage.
7. Storage evaluation shall observe changes in moisture absorption, odor, browning, solubility, and molecular weight distribution according to the dosage form, packaging, and formulation conditions. The business operator shall establish storage specifications and handling conditions based on the results and shall present their basis. Labeling shall consistently state the animal species, source tissue or the method of disclosing it, peptide amount, allergen information, storage instructions, and instructions to discontinue use and seek consultation in the event of adverse symptoms.

Article 5 (Evaluation Categories)

Conformity: The animal species and tissue, hydrolysis history, collagen markers, molecular weight distribution, product content, and test records correspond to one another.
Partial conformity: Origin and the declared amount can be confirmed, but the comparability of molecular weight methods or documentation on processing aids is insufficient, and a plan to supplement the missing information has been established.
Nonconformity: Total protein content is treated as collagen peptide content without identification, hydrolysis history cannot be presented, or the source species cannot be traced.

Article 6 (Implementation)

The business operator may issue a self-declaration of conformity on the basis of raw material origin records, process flow diagrams, composition and molecular weight documentation, product content, and hygiene testing. Upon application, the Council may verify traceability from the declared peptide amount to the manufacturing lot and source tissue. Reevaluation shall be conducted when the animal species, tissue, pretreatment, hydrolysis conditions, fractionation method, drying method, or analytical method is changed.

Supplementary Provisions

This Standard shall take effect on 3 September 2026.

※ This Standard sets out evaluation criteria for information disclosure and quality management practices and does not guarantee the efficacy or safety of individual products.

This standard is an evaluation standard on information disclosure and quality management; it does not guarantee the efficacy or safety of any individual product. Businesses may make a self-declaration of conformity based on this standard, and the Council confirms declarations upon application.

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