LAUSR

Abstract Background In Japan, there is a need for development of functional foods that contribute to the maintenance and improvement of health in the elderly. Scope and approach In April, 2015, Consumer affairs Agency launched a new food labeling system known as “ Food with Function Claims (FFC) .” Under this system, industry and agricultural producers independently evaluate scientific evidence on agricultural and marine health foods and describe the functional properties that warrant health claims to promote informed use by consumers. To clarify the effects of functional foods on human health, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) implemented the “Research Project on Development of Agricultural Products and Foods with Health-Promoting Benefits.” Key findings and conclusions As of May 26, 2017, 931 functional foods were classified as FFC. We demonstrated that Satsuma mandarins are rich in β-cryptoxanthin and reduce the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. The Japanese tea cultivar Benifuuki is rich in O -methylated catechins , which are present at low levels in common green tea, and has anti-allergic effects. Satsuma mandarins and Benifuuki green tea were subsequently released as FFC in 2015. We elucidated the health-promoting effects of functional agricultural products to produce healthy boxed lunches and established a database of functional agricultural products. There is a need for additional FFC, including processed foods, that contain only raw materials from agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.