Development of functional agricultural products and use of a new health claim system in Japan

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.