What is Tokuho in Japanese Drinks and Food Products?
Until now, I introduced several Tokuho products, including Iyemon Tokucha green tea and these cola drinks.
Not only beverages but foods can also be Tokuho, whose example includes this konjac jelly.
But in the first place, what exactly is Tokuho (トクホ)?
For those unfamiliar with Japanese drinks and food products, this article explains what it is and how you can identify/recognize them.
Tokuho (特定保健用食品)
トクホ (Tokuho) is the abbreviation for 特定保健用食品 (Tokutei Hokenyo Shokuhin), which translates into English as Food for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU).
So Tokuho and FOSHU are the same things, whose definitions stated by the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan (CAA/消費者庁) are
- Tokuho or FOSHU contains health-effective ingredients/components that affect human physiology or functions of the body.
- By taking that, you can expect health benefits specified on the product’s package.
Before selling Tokuho products, companies must get permission from the Japanese government that examines their safety and efficacy.
In other words, the designated foods and drinks are highly trustworthy in benefits.
How to Identify/Recognize
You can identify/recognize Japanese government-approved Tokuho products in two ways.
Logo
The foods and beverages granted permission by the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan have the logo pictured above on the package.
Title
The products also have the title 消費者庁許可 特定保健用食品 (meaning: Permitted by CAA, Food for Specified Health Uses) on the packaging.