Theanine Quality and Labeling Standard
JHFC-S-039 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)
Theanine raw materials include materials isolated from tea and those obtained by enzymatic reaction, synthesis, or other methods, and the combination of accompanying components varies with the manufacturing method. Neither the weight of tea extract nor the total amino acid amount represents the amount of theanine alone. This Standard is established to avoid determining origin or the presence or absence of caffeine solely from tea-related names and to specify raw material production routes and product analytes.
Article 1 (Purpose)
The treatment of theanine stereochemical configuration, residues associated with the production route, and tea-derived components shall be clarified. In addition to information disclosure in accordance with JHFC-A-001, this document establishes requirements for distinguishing purified materials from tea extracts, verifying caffeine, and labeling the theanine amount.
Article 2 (Scope)
This document covers foods that specify L-theanine in raw material specifications or content labeling and applies to tea extract powders, purified crystals, and tablets, granules, beverages, and similar products formulated with them. Ordinary tea leaves and tea beverages that do not specify the theanine amount are excluded. For mixed amino acid raw materials, the theanine portion shall be singled out for evaluation.
Article 3 (Terms and Definitions)
- 1. L-Theanine: A compound with the L-configuration and an ethylamide structure at the side-chain carboxyl group of glutamic acid.
- 2. Accompanying tea components: Caffeine, catechins, and other components that may transfer together with theanine during extraction and purification from tea.
- 3. Reaction-derived residues: Residual portions of starting materials, reaction aids, and by-products associated with enzymatic reaction or synthesis.
- 4. Basis for tea-origin labeling: Documentation demonstrating material continuity from receipt of the raw tea material to the theanine fraction concerned.
Article 4 (Requirements)
1. Quality Requirements—Identification of Theanine
Separation of theanine from glutamine, glutamic acid, and other related substances shall be verified, and the L-form designation shall be supported by stereochemical identification documentation. The correspondence between the [structural information on theanine](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Theanine) and analytical standards shall be recorded. Total amino acid tests shall not be used as evidence of the purity of theanine alone; the business operator shall establish specifications for isomers, related substances, and moisture and shall disclose the reasons for them.
2. Quality Requirements—Manufacturing Control by Raw Material Production Route
For materials isolated from tea, the type of tea, part used, extraction solvent, and adsorption and concentration processes shall be recorded. For materials produced by enzymatic reaction, the substrate, enzyme, and methods of reaction termination and removal shall be traced; for materials produced by synthesis, residual reagents shall be checked. For processes using ethylamine or similar substances, removal processes shall be linked to testing. Statements of tea origin shall be supported by raw material registers and records of recovered amounts.
3. Quality Requirements—Control of Accompanying Tea Components
The transfer of caffeine and catechins shall be examined from the tea extract through the purified fraction. The absence of caffeine shall not be determined solely from theanine purity. Formulations to which tea components are subsequently added shall be rechecked in the final product. The business operator shall establish control specifications for accompanying components and residual solvents and shall present analytical results and supporting evidence for each stage rather than relying solely on estimates of removal rates.
4. Testing—Samples Containing Tea Components
Theanine shall be quantified by a third-party institution, and extraction and separation conditions under which tea pigments and other amino acids do not interfere with measurement shall be validated. Where labeling concerns the presence or absence of caffeine, measurement results for the product and information on detection capability shall be available. The institution name, test method, whether the sample is a raw material or a product, lot, and contact point for inquiries shall be disclosed, and the scope of stereochemical identification performed shall also be clarified.
5. Labeling Requirements—Distinction from Tea Extract
The L-theanine amount corresponding to the recommended daily intake shall be stated, and the weights of tea extract and total amino acids shall be treated as separate quantities. Where the amount is calculated from the extract quantity, the theanine concentration of the relevant lot shall be used, and consistency with product analysis shall be verified. Statements concerning caffeine shall be consistent with the adopted basis for determination, and label proofreading shall include tea-related design elements.
6. Quality Requirements—Condition after Heating and during Storage
Changes in the theanine amount and related peaks associated with beverage heating, contact with acidic raw materials, and storage shall be examined. Tea extract powders shall be observed for moisture absorption, coloration, and undissolved residues. The business operator shall present the basis for these storage specifications and shelf life and shall establish conditions for protection from light, sealing, and handling after opening. Results for raw materials before heating shall not serve as the sole basis for the product shelf life.
7. Precautions for Intake
For products also containing tea extracts, formulation information for components other than theanine and the need for cautionary statements concerning caffeine shall be checked. The reasons for including or omitting such statements shall be retained for each product. Persons undergoing treatment or taking medication shall be advised to consult a physician, and where instructions direct users to combine a powder for preparation with tea beverages, consistency with the precautions section shall be reviewed.
8. Documentation Management
The basis for tea-origin labeling, results for reaction-derived residues, and documentation supporting determinations for caffeine labeling shall be registered as separate items. The business operator shall establish a retention period and, when the production route is changed, shall check that descriptions of the tea origin of the previous raw material do not remain in sales materials. When the quantification method is changed, records comparing the separation of tea components with that achieved by the previous method shall be retained.
Article 5 (Evaluation Categories)
- Conformity: All requirements are met, and L-form identification, residues specific to each manufacturing method, accompanying tea components, and labeling of the theanine amount alone are traceable.
- Partial conformity: Quantification and determinations concerning accompanying components are complete, and a deadline for supplementation is established for minor deficiencies in documentation guidance.
- Nonconformity: The tea extract amount is treated as the theanine amount, origin cannot be substantiated, or there is no basis for caffeine labeling.
Article 6 (Implementation)
The self-declaration of conformity shall clearly state the production route and whether tea raw materials are used. The Council shall verify records of tea origin and testing of accompanying components in accordance with the application. Reevaluation shall be performed when the enzyme, extraction process, or tea-derived auxiliary raw material is changed, and the scope covered by the labeling shall be checked during periodic review.
Supplementary Provisions
This document shall apply from 7 September 2026. Inquiries concerning tea origin shall include an indication of whether the material is an extract or a purified material.
※ This Standard sets out evaluation criteria for information disclosure and quality management practices and does not guarantee the efficacy or safety of individual products.