Maca Quality and Labeling Standard
JHFC-S-048 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)
Commercial maca raw materials include dried powders, products gelatinized by heating, and extracts, which differ in composition and moisture absorption behavior even when they share the same powder form. Raw material color or designations of origin alone cannot explain plant identity and the degree of processing, and the extraction ratio alone does not indicate the amount incorporated. This Standard is established to verify the chain from identification of cultivated material through heat treatment, indicator constituents, and packaged weight.
Article 1 (Purpose)
This Standard aligns the botanical description of maca with the actual characteristics of processed raw materials and enables comparison of quality documentation for gelatinized products and extracts. JHFC-A-001 shall apply as the foundation for information disclosure, and the evidence specified in this document shall be added for plant parts and processing categories.
Article 2 (Scope)
Products Covered
This Standard applies to dried materials, powders, gelatinized materials, extracts, and foods for oral consumption made from these materials, derived from the edible portions of the enlarged hypocotyl and root of plants identified as maca. The relationship between the adopted scientific name and its synonyms shall be shown in the application documentation. Materials using leaves or seeds shall be distinguished from the plant parts covered by this document and shall require a separate raw material evaluation.
Article 3 (Terms and Definitions)
- 1. Color-type record: A raw material record showing classification by the skin color of harvested material and the state of mixing of those types.
- 2. Gelatinization processing: An operation that adds moisture and heat to alter the state of starch in the raw material.
- 3. Macamide composition: The correspondence between the types of macamides selected for analysis and their respective measured amounts.
- 4. Dry matter amount before extraction: The mass of the plant raw material used for extraction excluding moisture, serving as the starting point for explaining the extraction ratio.
Article 4 (Requirements)
1. Quality Requirements—Identification of Plant Parts and Color Types
The scientific name, edible parts, cultivation location, and morphology before drying shall be verified using specimens, photographs, or plant identification documentation. Products specifying a color type shall present sorting and mixing records from harvest. Color type or place of origin shall not be determined solely from powder color. The business operator shall establish acceptance specifications for other plant species, soil and sand, pesticide residues, and similar items, using raw material investigations and testing as their basis.
2. Quality Requirements—Process Evidence for Drying and Gelatinization
The sequence of washing, cutting, drying, and storage shall be recorded. Where gelatinization processing is performed, the conditions for water addition, heating, holding, and redrying shall be retained. The designation of gelatinization shall be verified by results examining the state of starch and shall be distinguished from mere grinding. Raw materials with a changed heating history shall be reanalyzed to determine whether the same indicator constituent specifications remain applicable.
3. Quality Requirements—Purity and Composition of Extracts
The extraction solvent, recovered fractions, and carriers used during drying shall be identified from manufacturing records. The business operator shall establish specifications for residual solvents, microorganisms, ash, and indicator constituents, and shall disclose the reasons for their adoption. Where macamides are used as indicators, the names of the constituents measured shall be listed, and a high value for a single constituent alone shall not be used to determine the identity of the plant raw material as a whole.
4. Testing—Applicability of Analysis to Each Processing Form
A third-party institution shall be commissioned to test indicator constituents in powders or extracts, and recovery from starch and fats in the product shall be verified. Where total macamide content is determined, the reference standards for each constituent, differences in response, and the constituents included in the sum shall be stated in the certificate of analysis. The institution name, test method, processing form of the sample, lot, and contact point for inquiries about results shall be disclosed, and the treatment of unidentified peaks shall also be recorded.
5. Labeling Requirements—Distinguishing Gelatinized Products from Concentrates
The maca raw material amount per recommended daily intake shall be labeled together with its processing category. For extracts, the basis for calculating the amount excluding carriers shall be shown, and where indicator constituents are declared in the main labeling field, their content shall also be stated. The original plant equivalent amount shall be cross-checked using the dry matter amount before extraction and the recovered amount. The process designation of gelatinization shall not be used as a substitute for a basis for the concentration ratio.
6. Quality Requirements—Moisture Absorption and Dispensing of Powders
Moisture, tendency to clump, and bulk density during measuring shall be examined for each drying method and according to whether gelatinization has been performed. The [test report on gelatinization and moisture absorption of maca powder](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8116860/) shall be used as a reference for selecting test items, which shall be verified under actual product conditions. The business operator shall establish storage specifications, shelf life, and resealing conditions, and shall cross-check measurement using the supplied utensil against packaging samples.
7. Precautions for Intake
Products intended to be mixed as powders into liquids shall state the mixing sequence and method of measuring each serving, and shall advise against substituting gelatinized products and extracts using the same number of spoonfuls. Labeling shall advise persons undergoing treatment or taking medication to consult a physician. Cautionary statements concerning auxiliary ingredients used in granulation or extract drying, in addition to the source plant, shall be checked against ingredient specifications.
8. Documentation Management
Color-type documentation from harvest, plant part identification, heat treatment records, and the list of macamides selected for analysis shall be linked. Revisions to extraction ratios shall be accompanied by the previous version of the dry matter calculations. The business operator shall establish a documentation retention period and shall check the change ledger to ensure that changes in origin and changes in processing can be searched separately.
Article 5 (Evaluation Categories)
- Conformity: Plant parts and processing categories are established, and testing and quantity labeling for all requirements can be substantiated by process documentation.
- Partial conformity: Plant identity and indicator amounts have been verified, and supplementation is planned for minor deficiencies such as indexes to color-type documentation.
- Nonconformity: Plant identity is determined by color alone, gelatinization is confused with concentration, or the dry matter amount before extraction cannot be traced.
Article 6 (Implementation)
The business operator shall make a self-declaration of conformity specifying dried powder, gelatinized product, or extract. The Council shall verify the chain from plant part identification through labeling of process names. Application documentation shall be updated when cultivated material, drying methods, or constituents selected for analysis change, and explanations of processing categories shall be reviewed during periodic checks.
Supplementary Provisions
This document shall take effect on 8 September 2026. Inquiries concerning maca raw materials shall include the scientific name, plant part, and processing category.
※ 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.