Magnesium Quality and Labeling Standard
JHFC-S-030 Enacted: 7 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: 7 September 2026 / Effective: the same day
Preamble (Rationale for Enactment)
Magnesium raw materials are diverse and include minerals, materials separated from seawater and similar sources, and organic acid salts. For raw materials that have undergone drying or calcination, interpretation of weight varies with the hydration state and degree of carbonation, and seawater-derived raw materials also contain other salts. Bias during sampling also differs between powders and liquids. This Standard is established to link the state of raw materials to measurements and product labeling without inferring elemental amounts or dissolution states from origin names.
Article 1 (Purpose)
The compound form of magnesium, the moisture basis, coexisting salts, and the elemental amount contained in a single portion taken shall be made traceable. In addition to information disclosure in accordance with the five criteria of JHFC-A-001, this document establishes evaluation methods for changes in the state of salts and uniformity during preparation.
Article 2 (Scope)
This Standard applies to oral products that supply magnesium from oxides, carbonates, chlorides, organic acid salts, or food ingredients. Subject to verification of raw materials for food use, it covers tablets, granules, powders for dissolution, and concentrated liquids. For mineral raw materials that also label calcium, the labeling for each element shall be evaluated separately.
Article 3 (Terms and Definitions)
- 1. Magnesium salt composition: Information identifying the composition of the target compound and coexisting salts.
- 2. Hydration state: The state in which a compound contains water of crystallization or similar water, treated separately from water adsorbed on the surface.
- 3. As-received basis: A method of expressing concentration or weight on the basis of the actual state of the raw material before drying.
- 4. Prepared liquid uniformity: The property that allows components to be sampled without bias from a liquid diluted or dispersed in accordance with the labeling.
- 5. Coexisting salts: Salts of calcium, sodium, and other elements present together with the principal magnesium compound.
Article 4 (Requirements)
1. Quality Requirements—Compound and Moisture Basis
Specifications shall state the compound name, hydration information, and whether drying or ignition treatment has been performed. Diffraction, compositional analysis, or other methods shall be selected according to the raw material, and the compound shall not be identified solely by detection of the element. When loss on drying is used, the possibility that it includes volatilization of substances other than water or decomposition shall be considered. The business operator shall establish identity and purity specifications and shall present their correspondence to the as-received state.
2. Quality Requirements—Manufacturing Control of Separation and Concentration
For concentrates from seawater or similar sources, the origin and the sequence of concentration, precipitate separation, and washing shall be recorded, and the transfer of coexisting salts at each process step shall be verified. For calcined mineral products, moisture absorption and air contact after calcination shall be controlled; for organic acid salts, the reaction endpoint and residual raw materials shall be verified. Process records shall be cross-checked against acceptance test results for each manufacturing method, and a raw material's origin name shall not substitute for evidence of its degree of purification.
3. Testing—Analysis of Samples with High Salt Content
Product samples shall include precipitates, and it shall be verified that measurements are not limited to the diluted liquid alone. Variations in instrumental response caused by high salt concentrations shall be examined using dilution series or spike recovery. Third-party testing shall record the magnesium amount, sample state, digestion method, and lot covered. The testing institution and contact point for inquiries shall be disclosed, and the scope of testing for coexisting elements shall also be verifiable in the original certificate of analysis.
4. Labeling Requirements—Portion Measurement Method and Elemental Amount
The amount of elemental magnesium per recommended daily intake shall be stated. Where a concentrated liquid is used in drops or with a measuring utensil, the basis for the amount taken and the utensil specifications shall be indicated. Salt weight or the solids content of a concentrated liquid shall not be confused with the elemental amount. For powders for dissolution, the amount of powder used shall be related to the liquid volume, and the labeled value after preparation shall be verified by tests of the portions taken.
5. Quality Requirements—Storage and Redispersion
Moisture absorption and carbonation of oxides and similar materials, caking of salts, and precipitation in concentrated liquids shall be observed for each type of packaging. For products requiring shaking, concentrations in the upper and lower portions shall be compared after the labeled procedure has been performed. Procedures for handling a state in which redispersion is no longer possible shall be established, and the business operator shall present storage specifications and their basis. Use of dry measuring utensils and methods of tight closure shall be verified with the actual container and stated on the labeling.
6. Precautions for Intake
Concentrated products shall include guidance to prevent confusion between the undiluted liquid and the prepared liquid, and a statement that users shall not increase the recommended intake at their own discretion. Persons whose magnesium intake is under medical management and persons undergoing treatment or taking medication shall be advised to consult a physician. Guidance to discontinue use and seek consultation in the event of changes in physical condition after use shall be prepared with reference to sources such as [cautionary information on magnesium](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/).
7. Documentation Management
The index for each set of test results shall record whether the values are on an as-received, post-drying, or post-preparation basis. Where the density of a concentrated liquid is used in conversion, the measurement conditions shall be retained, and the history of changes to measuring utensils shall also be recorded. Test results for coexisting salts, preparation tests, and container versions shall be retained for the period established by the business operator so that labeled amounts can be recalculated on the same state basis.
Article 5 (Evaluation Categories)
- Conformity: All requirements are met, and consistency is maintained from the moisture basis through elemental amounts to portions taken after preparation.
- Partial conformity: There are no problems with elemental amounts, preparation procedures, or cautionary statements on the labeling, and a corrective deadline is set for deficiencies such as those in indexes specifying the state basis.
- Nonconformity: A dry basis is applied without adjustment, the amount in the product is assessed with precipitates excluded, or portion measurement using the specified utensil cannot be verified.
Article 6 (Implementation)
The self-declaration of conformity shall be accompanied by the state basis for the raw material and the product preparation method. At the time of application, the Council shall cross-check the conversion conditions and tests of the prepared liquid. The premises of the declaration shall be reviewed when the degree of concentration, drying method, or portion measurement utensil is changed.
Supplementary Provisions
This Standard shall take effect on 7 September 2026. Inquiry documentation shall specify whether it concerns a powder, concentrated liquid, or prepared liquid.
※ This Standard sets out evaluation criteria for information disclosure and quality management practices and does not guarantee the efficacy or safety of individual products.