Stricter safety reviews for food utensils, containers, and packaging, as well as more stringent restrictions on Class I Specified Chemical Substances, are the main features of a draft amendment to the Standards for Food and Food Additives published by Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency’s Food Sanitation Standards Review Division. The deadline for public consultation is February 20, 2025.

The modification, which is based on the Food Sanitation Act, requires the Prime Minister to set precise guidelines for food-related utensils and packaging after consulting the Food Sanitation Standards Council. Synthetic resin raw materials that have not been authorized for safety are severely forbidden in main materials for food contact goods under the Positive List System, which has been in effect since June 2020. Use is restricted to compliant substances that pass safety tests.

Substances that are suggested for inclusion on the Positive List will be screened by a new review process to improve safety management. New substances will now be introduced through individual applications that are examined by the Food Safety Commission and authorized by the Prime Minister, rather than through changes to already-existing annexes.

The modification also expressly forbids the use of Class I Specified Chemical Substances in food utensils and packaging. These substances are defined as having persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and long-term toxicity.

The Utensils/Containers/Packaging Subcommittee of the Food Sanitation Standards Council adopted these changes in December 2024. On June 1, 2025, the new rules are anticipated to go into effect.

To guarantee that a range of viewpoints inform these important public health and food safety regulations, the Consumer Affairs Agency welcomes public input through the mail or the e-Gov website.

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