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DuPont Danisco gets Japan approval for Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 claims

1 Jun 2017

Food products containing Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 from the DuPont Danisco range have been recorded with the Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of Japan, for Food with Function Claims.

Food products containing Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 from the DuPont Danisco range have been recorded with the Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of Japan, for Food with Function Claims, further reinforcing the strength of science behind DuPont’s probiotics, the company says. HN019 is claimed to be the first Bifidobacterium lactis strain which allows a food manufacturer to state a health claim on the product.

Currently, drinkable yogurts, yogurts, and dietary supplements containing HN019 as a functional ingredient have been recognized for claims stating to improve microflora and defecation for those suffering from constipation by adjusting intestinal environments. This, says the company, further validates the strong scientific evidence DuPont has on the link between digestive health and probiotics.

The Foods with Function Claims was first introduced in April 2015 to allow products to be clearly labelled with certain nutritional or health functions and to enable consumers to make more informed choices. Food business operators can make function claims on food labels when they submit to the Secretary-General of the Consumer Affairs Agency necessary information including scientific evidence on food safety and effectiveness in accordance with the rules prescribed by the law before marketing the product.

“This is an important milestone for us. This recording of function claim on food labels will provide new opportunities for food, beverage and dietary supplement manufacturers to further promote this benefit to end consumers,” said Hiroko Tanaka, regulatory affairs manager, DuPont Nutrition & Health, Japan.

Danisco believes that food manufacturers who use HN019 in their finished products will now have a more cost-effective and efficient way to utilize existing, robust data based on this strain. They will be permitted to print “This product contains Bifidobacterium lactis (HN019). Bifidobacterium lactis (HN019) is reported to improve defecation for those suffering from constipation by adjusting intestinal environment” on their packaging labels.

“We are extremely pleased with this newly recorded claim on food products containing HN019,” said Yuta Nakazawa, DS Sales Manager of DuPont Nutrition & Health, Japan. “This is a win-win situation for both our customers and their consumers, especially for small to medium sized companies who do not have their own strains. They can now file for application with the Secretary-General of the Consumer Affairs Agency to include HN019 in their food products which allows them to make function claims on their food labels. This will definitely provide a competitive edge to companies to be better differentiated in the marketplace.”