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🇯🇵 Foods banned in Japan but legal in the US

Regulator: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW); Food Safety Commission of Japan

Overview

Japan operates a positive list system for food additives under the Food Sanitation Act: only substances explicitly approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) may be used. Japan has some of the world's strictest agricultural chemical residue limits and prohibits several artificial preservatives, dyes, and growth hormones widely used in the US.

Key differences vs. the United States

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Ingredients Japan bans or restricts

FAQs

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