Black Garlic Quality and Labeling Standard
JHFC-S-047 Enacted: 8 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: 8 September 2026 / Effective: the same day
Preamble (Rationale for Enactment)
Black garlic is a processed food obtained by heat aging garlic, and external blackness alone cannot explain internal moisture or processing history. The points requiring verification also differ according to bulb size, placement within the chamber, and whether the garlic is unpeeled or peeled. This Standard links aging process records with testing of the edible portion and requires consistent explanations of quality from whole products through powders.
Article 1 (Purpose)
This Standard establishes a record system that enables evaluation of the performance of heat aging, variation within products, and their condition after packaging. The five information disclosure criteria of JHFC-A-001 shall serve as prerequisites, and this document specifies process assessment and weight labeling particular to black garlic.
Article 2 (Scope)
Products Covered
This Standard applies to unpeeled products, peeled products, pastes, dried powders, and foods formulated with extracts obtained from heat-aged garlic bulbs. Where an additional process using microorganisms is performed, that operation shall be separately identified. Colored products made from unaged garlic shall not be included as black garlic under this document.
Article 3 (Terms and Definitions)
- 1. Heat-aging unit: A group of garlic loaded into the same processing equipment and managed under common process records.
- 2. Chamber layout diagram: A diagram relating shelves, containers, and loading positions to temperature measurement points.
- 3. Edible-portion weight: The weight excluding outer skins, thin skins, and other portions not intended to be eaten.
- 4. Aging assessment indicators: Items selected by the business operator from color, firmness, moisture, liquid properties, and similar characteristics to verify the end of the process.
Article 4 (Requirements)
1. Quality Requirements—Receipt of Raw Garlic
The plant species and harvesting and drying history shall be verified through procurement documentation, and the results of sorting out soil, foreign matter, rotten portions, and damaged bulbs shall be retained. Bulb size and skin condition information shall be carried forward to the heat-aging unit. The business operator shall establish specifications for sorting, moisture, and residues originating from cultivation, and shall provide their basis using sampling inspections and supplier records.
2. Quality Requirements—Manufacturing Control Addressing Chamber Variation
Temperature, humidity, duration, and loading conditions during heat aging shall be recorded, and uneven processing shall be checked using the chamber layout diagram. Where items are rearranged during processing, the positions and timing shall be added to the records. The business operator shall verify the position at which processing progresses least readily and shall establish control conditions accordingly. Differences between the conditions in the [hygiene management documentation for black garlic manufacture](https://www.maff.go.jp/j/shokusan/koudou/what_haccp/attach/pdf/vision-7.pdf) used as a reference and those of the equipment in use shall be documented.
3. Quality Requirements—Post-Aging Assessment and Reprocessing
Aging assessment indicators shall be measured separately for the surface and interior, and acceptance or rejection shall not be determined by color alone. For products subjected to additional aging, the relationship to the original processing unit, the reason, and the reassessment shall be recorded. After peeling, chopping, or conversion into paste, utensil contact and waiting for cooling shall be checked using hygiene control sheets, and crossover between raw materials before aging and processed products shall be controlled.
4. Testing—Separate Sampling of Skins and the Center
Samples for third-party testing shall be collected with the chamber positions and product forms specified. The business operator shall establish specifications for water activity, microorganisms, and the constituent indicators adopted, together with their basis. Tests including outer skins shall be distinguished from tests covering only the edible portion, and the certificate of analysis shall state the institution name, method, relevant lot, portions included in the sample, and contact point for inquiries and shall be disclosed.
5. Labeling Requirements—Explanation of Processing Form and Weight
The processing category, such as heat aging, peeling, drying, or extraction, and the black garlic amount per recommended daily intake shall be stated. For unpeeled products, the method of determining edible-portion weight shall be explained. For powders and extracts, raw material weight including carriers shall be distinguished from the black garlic-derived portion. Where indicator constituents are declared, their content shall also be stated, and microbial fermentation shall not be claimed solely on the basis of heat aging.
6. Quality Requirements—Moisture within Packaging and Storage
Condensation caused by insufficient cooling, moisture migration between the outer skin and edible portion, and package sealing shall be examined using actual products. The business operator shall determine storage specifications and shelf life from tests simulating conditions after portioning into smaller packages, after opening, and after removal of paste from the package. The storage location and resealing method shall be labeled, and documentation supporting shelf-life determination shall be checked to ensure that a black appearance has not substituted for testing.
7. Precautions for Intake
Unpeeled products shall provide instructions for removing the edible portion, and pastes shall provide procedures for removal using clean utensils. Instructions shall explain that consumption is to be discontinued if package swelling, liquid leakage, or mold is observed, and shall provide a means of contact. A statement advising persons undergoing treatment or taking medication to consult a physician shall be included, and labeling shall be checked to ensure that the recommended amounts for whole products and concentrated raw materials are not confused.
8. Documentation Management
Raw material sorting sheets, chamber layout diagrams, temperature and humidity records, cut-surface assessment documentation, and reprocessing sheets shall be grouped by aging unit. An index shall be maintained to allow inquiries to trace products divided into smaller packages back to their original shelf positions. The business operator shall establish retention periods for records and retained samples. When equipment is added, the extent to which conditions from the existing equipment have been applied and the additional verification performed shall be recorded.
Article 5 (Evaluation Categories)
- Conformity: All requirements are in place, and chamber layout, internal condition, edible-portion amount, and storage conditions can be verified.
- Partial conformity: Aging and hygiene assessments are established, and a deadline for correction is set for deficiencies such as guidance on public access to layout diagrams.
- Nonconformity: Aging is judged solely by coloration, reprocessing history is lost, or a value including skins is labeled as the edible-portion amount.
Article 6 (Implementation)
The business operator shall make a self-declaration of conformity specifying the equipment and product forms. The Council shall compare records for the aging units covered by the application with packaging labels. The evaluation shall be updated when loading methods, peeling processes, or packaging materials change, and the use of aging assessment indicators shall be reviewed periodically.
Supplementary Provisions
This document shall apply from 8 September 2026. Inquiries concerning aging records shall be accepted with the processing unit specified.
※ 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.