Enzyme Development Corporation (EDC) would like to inform our industry partners and customers about recent developments regarding the classification of enzyme-producing microorganisms. Regulatory authorities and scientific bodies have been updating scientific names in response to advances in microbial identification technology.
An excerpt from the Japanese Food Safety Standards and Evaluation Division (Notice No. 552, September 10, 2025) highlights the following:
- Advances in microbial identification methods have led to updates in the scientific names of certain enzyme-producing microorganisms.
- While the microorganisms themselves remain unchanged, the updated names may differ from those currently listed in Public Notice No. 370, potentially creating inconsistencies in regulatory descriptions.
- To address this, the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) of Japan has revised its operational procedures. Enzyme manufacturers are now required to notify the CAA of the microorganisms used in their production, including cases where names have changed.
- Once confirmed that the microorganisms themselves are unchanged, the CAA permits continued distribution of these enzymes.
- The CAA will publish information about enzyme-producing microorganisms while safeguarding company intellectual property.
Manufacturers are asked to notify the CAA of the relevant enzymes and provide the required details using the official application form available on the CAA website.
For more details, please see the official CAA announcement (Japanese; translation required):
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/standards_evaluation/food_additives/research_003
What This Means for Our Customers
EDC is actively engaging with the Enzyme Technical Association (ETA) on this matter and will continue to work closely with U.S. (FDA), Canadian, and other international regulatory bodies to ensure smooth compliance and transparency.
If you have questions about how these updates may affect products you purchase from us, please reach out to your EDC sales representative or contact us at [email protected].