Curcumin Quality and Labeling Standard

JHFC-S-044　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)

Turmeric powder, concentrated pigment raw materials, and processed dispersions differ in curcumin content and composition even when their appearances are similar. Transferring terms for total amounts used in pigment trade documentation directly to food labeling obscures the distinction from the amount of an individual constituent. This Standard is established to verify receipt of plant raw materials, the mass balance during purification, and the amount in an individual portion dispensed, enabling traceability from raw material terminology to the content stated on packaging.

Article 1 (Purpose)

This Standard evaluates raw material authenticity, the amount of the individual constituent, and dispensing from products for health foods that specify curcumin. With JHFC-A-001 serving as the overarching standard for information disclosure, it establishes practical requirements for describing raw materials for food use, extraction history, and proofreading labeling.

Article 2 (Scope)

This Standard applies to oral food products that contain turmeric rhizome powder, extracted or purified raw materials, or curcumin produced by other methods for which food use has been verified, and that declare the curcumin amount. It includes tablets, capsules, granules, and liquid products. Substances whose structures have been altered by hydrogenation or similar processes shall be treated as separate constituents and shall not be included in the labeled amount of unmodified curcumin.

Article 3 (Terms and Definitions)

1. Individual curcumin: Curcumin as a single compound, the amount of which is subject to content labeling under this document.
2. Coexisting curcuminoids: Related constituents such as demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin.
3. Purification mass balance: The relationship between the amounts of the target constituent in extracts, crystals, residual liquids, and other fractions obtained from plants or starting materials.
4. Representativeness of the dispensed portion: The extent to which the portion dispensed using the labeled mixing or shaking procedure represents the constituent composition of the entire product.

Article 4 (Requirements)

1. Quality Requirements—Raw Material Authenticity and Purity

For plant-derived products, documentation of the plant species, the form in which rhizomes are received, and identification before powdering shall be assembled. For purified products, individual curcumin and coexisting constituents shall be verified using analytical reference standards. The possible presence of other pigments added for coloration or other plant powders shall be examined through origin investigations and analysis. The business operator shall establish specifications for the target substance, impurities, and contaminants associated with the origin, and shall present their basis.

2. Quality Requirements—Manufacturing Control of Extraction and Crystallization

Conditions for extraction solvents, concentration, crystallization, mother liquor recovery, and reprocessing shall be recorded for each lot. The purification mass balance shall not be completed using only the weight of recovered crystals; it shall be verified using the amount of individual curcumin in each fraction. For shared equipment, the extent to which yellow deposits are used as an indicator of cleaning shall be defined and cross-checked against residue measurements. Changes to the source plant shall be reviewed on the basis of extraction yield and the composition of coexisting constituents.

3. Testing—Individual Quantification and Identification of Foreign Substances

A third-party institution shall be commissioned to quantify individual curcumin in the final product, and separation capable of distinguishing coexisting curcuminoids shall be verified. Color value or overall absorbance alone shall not be used as the quantitative value for the individual constituent. Tests for questionable coloring substances and residual solvents shall be selected on the basis of raw material evaluation. The institution name, method, product lot, and contact point for inquiries shall be disclosed, and records of the reference standards used and the assessment of unassigned peaks shall be retained.

4. Quality Requirements—Recovery from the Entire Product

For coated products, sample preparation for extracting the pigment within shall be verified; for liquid products, the mass balance of the upper portion, sediment, and material remaining on container walls shall be examined. Adsorption onto filtration materials shall also be evaluated through recovery tests. The business operator shall establish assessment specifications for representativeness of the dispensed portion and residues, and shall demonstrate the amount obtained from the actual product by the specified shaking or mixing procedure. The entire product amount shall not be evaluated by sampling only the clear supernatant.

5. Labeling Requirements—Food Raw Material Names and Constituent Amounts

The amount of individual curcumin per recommended daily intake shall be stated. Where the total curcuminoid amount is also provided, the constituents included in the sum shall be listed, and the amount of the individual compound shall be shown in the breakdown. The formulation weight of turmeric powder, extracted raw material, or processed dispersion shall be placed in a separate field. Descriptions of concentration included in raw material names shall be compared with the purification mass balance, and specifications for total pigment amount shall not be transcribed into the packaging field for the individual amount.

6. Storage Requirements—Light and Dispensing Conditions

The product's exposure to light, liquid acid–base properties, and sedimentation during storage shall be examined under different conditions, and changes in the individual constituent amount and representativeness of the dispensed portion shall be recorded. The business operator shall establish storage specifications, shelf life, and conditions after opening with supporting evidence. Labeling for protection from light and mixing procedures shall correspond to the actual packaging specifications, and it shall also be verified at the end of storage testing that the constituent can be dispensed using the specified procedure.

7. Precautions for Intake

Instructions shall not suggest substituting rhizome powder and concentrated raw materials for each other at the same weight. Liquid products with sediment shall state that the labeled preparation procedure shall be followed, and a contact point shall be provided for products that do not redisperse. Persons undergoing treatment or taking medication shall be advised to consult a physician. Ingredient labeling and precautionary text shall be cross-checked so that auxiliary raw materials used for dispersion can also be identified during consultation.

8. Documentation Management

When [official composition documentation for curcumin raw material](https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/jecfa_additives/docs/Monograph1/Additive-140.pdf) is consulted, the correspondence between the total pigment amount in that documentation and the individual amount in this document shall be recorded. The purification mass balance, product recovery tests, and calculations of the individual amount shall be retained for a period established by the business operator. When containers or dispersion methods are updated, a history of decisions on whether the previous sampling method can continue to be used shall be retained.

Article 5 (Evaluation Categories)

Conformity: All provisions are satisfied, and traceability is maintained for the plant or other origin, purification mass balance, dispensing from the product, and labeling of the individual amount.
Partial conformity: Authenticity, individual quantification, and dispensing have been validated, and a deadline is set for supplementing deficiencies limited to matters such as guidance on reference documentation.
Nonconformity: The total pigment amount is treated as the individual amount, unverified coloring substances are present, or the amount including residues in the container has not been validated.

Article 6 (Implementation)

The business operator shall make a self-declaration of conformity with the raw material category and product dispensing procedure attached. The Council shall verify the purification mass balance and dispensed amount for the product covered by the application. Reassessment shall be conducted when rhizome supply, crystal recovery, or the dispersion method changes, and the correspondence between raw material terminology and the individual amount shall be checked during periodic review.

Supplementary Provisions

This document shall take effect on 7 September 2026. Inquiries concerning amount labeling shall specify whether the amount is an individual or total amount and identify the constituents concerned.

※ This Standard sets out evaluation criteria for information disclosure and quality management practices and does not guarantee the effects, 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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