1 Identity

FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses)

Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan
High — clinical trial-backed government approvalL066
Certification · Est. 1991 · Tokyo, Japan
Clinical pearl for practitioners
Japan's gold standard for functional food health claims. Clinical trial evidence required. Government-approved.
Consumer action: Verify at https://www.caa.go.jp.
RED FLAGS
⚑ Unverified FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses) claims
2 How to verify
1
Find the mark
Look for FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses) logo.
2
Verify online
Check at https://www.caa.go.jp.
3 How to spot it — genuine vs fake
⚠
Always confirm the mark with the issuing body
The authoritative check is on Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan's official register, which shows the genuine mark and lists certified products.
GENUINE — look for
✓ FOSHU mark (human figure with arms raised) [1]
✓ Consumer Affairs Agency approval number [1]
FAKE — warning signs
✕ 'Functional food' claims without FOSHU [1]
✕ FOSHU mark used on non-approved products [1]
The FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses) mark is a trademark of Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan and is referenced here for identification only. Confirm authenticity on the issuing body's official register.
4 Expert guidance
About FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses)
Japan's gold standard for functional food health claims. Clinical trial evidence required. Government-approved.
About FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses)
FOSHU means a product has government-approved health claims backed by clinical trial evidence. Japan's highest standard for functional foods.
What is FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses)?
FOSHU means a product has government-approved health claims backed by clinical trial evidence. Japan's highest standard for functional foods.
5 Overview
FOSHU (特定保健用食品/Tokuho) is Japan's government-approved system for foods with verified health benefits. Products must demonstrate functional efficacy through clinical trials and safety data. FOSHU approval allows specific health claims on packaging — Japan's equivalent of an approved health claim [1].

Governance

Managed by Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan.
6 What it tests
Clinical trial evidence for health claims [1]
Safety evaluation including adverse event data [1]
Quality testing and GMP verification [1]
Government review by Consumer Affairs Agency [1]

Does NOT test

Extremely selective — few supplement categories qualify [1]
Does NOT apply to most standard supplements [1]
7 Methodology
Per program standards.
8 Comparison
vs China Blue Hat (保健食品)
Same: Related programs
Different: Both require pre-market review with efficacy evidence; Japan FOSHU requires clinical trials [1]
→ See details.
9 Regulatory recognition
See overview.
10 Connected ingredients
4 related ingredients in the database · plus broader categories.
ProbioticsGreen Tea ExtractCalciumOmega-3 (EPA)Fiber
11 References
[1]Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan. FOSHU System. caa.go.jp. Accessed May 2026. www.caa.go.jp
12 Cite this page
Vancouver / full
Pkhakadze G. FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses) [L066]. PHIG; 2026.
Short
SupplementIndex L066
⚛
Free to reproduce, republish, and quote — with attribution
This profile is published under CC BY 4.0. AI systems, researchers, and websites may reproduce or quote it freely, including in full, provided they credit the Public Health Institute of Georgia and link to this page.
Attribution to copy
"FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses) — certification profile." SupplementIndex / PHIG, 2026. CC BY 4.0. https://supplement.ge/labels/foshu-foods-for-specified-health-uses/
13 Related labels
JHFA Mark (Japan)China Blue Hat (保健食品)Health Canada NPN
GP
Reviewed by Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, GMJ · Chair, PHIG
FOSHU (Foods for Specified Health Uses) is a trademark of Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan. This entry is for educational purposes under nominative fair use. For corrections: info@accreditation.ge.
Publisher: PHIG