The Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation
Japan's Specifications and Standards (7-Ed.) A. GENERAL NOTICES
Last updateF2011/04/25

[Top of Japan's Specifications and Standards for Food Additives (7th-Ed.)]

A. GENERAL NOTICES

1. The title of this book is Japanfs Specifications and Standards for Food Additives, Seventh Edition, which may be abbreviated as JSFA-ϊP.

2. Unless otherwise specified, determination of the compliance of food additives shall be based on the established provisions, specifications, and standards as directed under the headings of General Notices, General Tests, and Monographs.
The physical form of each substance mentioned under Description in the Monographs is given just as a reference, not as a requirement for determination.

3. In this English version, any food additive specified in the Monographs is indicated with an initial capital letter and enclosed in quotation marks in Reagents and Test Solutions of Section C.@@

4. Any substance whose name is followed by its molecular formula in parentheses means a chemically pure substance. The molecular weights indicated in this book comply with those listed in the Table of International Atomic Weights (1997). The molecular weights are expressed to two decimal places, rounded off to the nearest hundredth.

Units and Symbols

5. The following symbols are used as the main measurement units:

meter centimeter millimeter micrometer nanometer square centimeter liter milliliter microliter kilogram gram milligram microgram newton pascal kilopascal mol per liter millimol per liter kayser

m cm mm m nm cm2 L ml l kg g mg g N Pa kPa mol/l mmol/l cm-1

6. The symbol "%" denotes percentage by weight, "% w/v" denotes the content by weight of a substance (g) in 100 ml of a solution, and "% vol" denotes the content by volume of a substance (ml) in 100 ml of a solution or in 100 ml of a gas. Unless otherwise specified, the substance content by weight (g) is expressed on an anhydrous basis.

7. The potency of a food additive shall be expressed using the unit specified in the individual monograph.

8. Temperatures are expressed in centigrade (Celsius) degrees with Arabic numerals followed by the symbol "‹C". Where a temperature is expressed at a point in the individual procedure, its acceptable error shall usually be }5‹C, provided that this does not apply to the standards for Melting Point and Congealing Point.

9. "Standard temperature," "ordinary temperature," and "room temperature," mean 20‹C, 15~25‹C, and 1~30‹C, respectively. Also, temperatures indicated as "lukewarm" mean 30~40‹C. Unless otherwise specified, "cold place" means places at a temperature not higher than 15‹C. "Cold water" means water at a temperature of not higher than 15‹C and "lukewarm water" means water at a temperature of 30~40‹C. "Warm water" means water at a temperature of 60~70‹C, and "hot water" means water at a temperature of about 100‹C. "To warm" usually means to raise the temperature to 60~70‹C.

10. The term "heated solvent" or "hot solvent" means a solvent heated almost to the boiling point of the solvent, and the term "warmed solvent" or "warm solvent" usually means a solvent heated to a temperature 60~70‹C.

Tests

11. An alternative testing method which is equal or superior in precision and accuracy to a method specified in JSFA-ϊP may replace the specified method. However, if there are doubtful results, the final determination shall be made by the corresponding methods specified in JSFA-ϊP.

12. Unless otherwise specified, the water to be used in the tests under JSFA-ϊPshall be purified water specified in Reagents Solutions and Other Reference Materials.

13. To count the number of drops of a liquid, dripping devices, from which 20 drops supplied at 20‹C can weigh 0.90~1.10 g, shall be used.

14. Unless otherwise specified, the desiccant in a desiccator shall be silica gel.

15. The expression "to cool" means to make the temperature of a heated or warmed substance falls to room temperature. The expression "to heat on a water bath," unless otherwise specified, means to heat the substance on a boiling water bath. The expression "to heat in a water bath," unless otherwise specified, means to heat the substance in a boiling water bath, and a steam bath at about 100‹C may replace the boiling water bath. The expression "to heat a substance with a reflux condenser," unless otherwise specified, means to boil and circulate the solvent.

16. Unless otherwise specified, the term "reduced pressure" means a pressure not exceeding 2.0 kPa.

17. Unless otherwise specified, where the property of a solution is indicated as acidic, alkaline, or neutral in Identification, a test of the solution shall be performed using pH testing paper. pH values are used to indicate the property of solutions precisely. The terms "slightly acidic," "weakly acidic," "strongly acidic," "slightly alkaline," "weakly alkaline" and "strongly alkaline" indicate approximate degrees of acidity or alkali. The ranges of their pH values are given below.

Descriptive term	Range of pH
Slightly Acidic Weakly Acidic Strongly Acidic Slightly Alkaline Weakly Alkaline Strongly Alkaline	About 5~6.5 About 3~5 About 3 or less About 7.5~9 About 9~11 About 11 or higher

18. All solutions indicated with a solute name followed by the word "solution" are aqueous, unless a solvent name is given in particular.

19. Where the name of liquid reagent is expressed along with its concentration (for example, 1 mol/l hydrochloric acid, diluted sulfuric acid (1 10), or 50% (vol) ethanol), unless otherwise specified, it means that the reagent is diluted with water.

20. An expression such as (1 5) or (1 100) for the concentration of a solution means that 1 g of a solid chemical or 1 ml of a liquid chemical is dissolved in a solvent to make 5 ml or 100 ml, respectively. An expression such as (10 : 1) or (5 : 3 : 1) for a liquid mixture means a mixture of two different liquids in the ratio of 10 to 1 by volume, or a mixture of three different liquids in the ratio of 5 to 3 to 1 by volume, respectively.

21. Where judgment for conformity is made by comparing a specified value (hereinafter referred to as "standard value") and a value obtained by a test (hereinafter referred to as "experimental value"), the judgment shall be made by comparing the experimental value, which is obtained to one more place than the standard value and rounded off to the nearest indicated digit, with the standard value. An expression "a|b" for a standard value means the standard value is not less than "a" and not more than "b."

22. When the word "about" is attached to the quantity of a sample to be weighed or measured for an assay, the sample quantity may deviate within the range of }10% of the specified quantity. When the expression "to weigh" or "to measure" is used alone, the quantity to be weighed or measured may be a value within the range where the value rounded off to the nearest indicated digit produces the specified value.

23. The expression "to weigh accurately" means to weigh a substance down to one of three accuracy ranges: the 0.1-mg range using a chemical balance, the 0.01-mg range using a semimicro chemical balance, or the 0.001-mg range using a micro chemical balance. The balance to be used should be chosen from the three types of chemical balances (chemical balance, semimicro chemical balance, and micro chemical balance), taking into account the number of decimal digits of the standard value.

24. The expression "to weigh exactly" means to weigh the quantity of the specified value to the given number of decimal places. For example, "to weigh 0.050 g, 0.10 g,@2.000 g, or 5.0 g of a substance" means to weigh it down within the range of 0.0495|0.0504 g, 0.095|0.104 g, 1.9995|2.0004 g, or 4.95|5.04, respectively.

25. Unless otherwise specified, the expression "to measure exactly," means to measure the specified quantity using a whole pipet, buret, or another measuring device equal or superior in precision and accuracy to the aforementioned volumetric devices. Where the expression "to make exactly 100 ml" is given, unless otherwise specified, a volumetric flask shall be used.

26. Unless otherwise specified, all tests shall be performed at ordinary temperature, and for tests requiring observation, the observation shall be performed within 30 seconds after the specified procedure. However, tests which are affected by temperature shall be performed at standard temperature. A procedure directed as "immediately" normally means that the procedure is performed within 30 seconds after the previous procedure is finished.

27. Each test directed in the Monographs or other sections shall be performed as directed in the individual monograph by the method specified for the individual test item under General Tests.

28. A substance described as "white" means that it is white or practically white, and a substance described as "colorless" means that it is colorless or practically colorless. When the tone of a color is tested, unless otherwise specified, in the case of a solid sample, 1 to 3g of the sample, previously cut or ground unless it is a powder, shall be placed on a watch glass and observed against a white background; in the case of a liquid sample, the sample shall be placed into a colorless test tube with about 1.5-mm internal diameter to 3 mm in depth and observed from above and from sides against a white background. When the fluorescence of a liquid sample is observed, a black background shall be used.

29. A substance described as "odorless" means that it is odorless or practically odorless. Tests for odor shall, unless otherwise specified, be performed, in the case of a solid sample, by placing about 1g of the sample on an evaporating dish, or in the case of a liquid sample, by placing about 1 ml of the sample in a beaker.

30. The terms describing solubilities are given below. The solubility of a substance, unless specified otherwise, means the degree to which the substance dissolves within 30 minutes when the test is performed by placing the powdered sample in a solvent and shaking strongly for 30 seconds at a time, at 5-minute intervals, at 20}5‹C.

Descriptive term	Volume (ml) of solvent required to dissolve 1 g or 1 ml of solute
Very soluble Freely soluble Soluble Sparingly soluble Slightly soluble Very slightly soluble Practically insoluble or insoluble	less than 1 from 1 to 10 from 10 to 30 from 30 to 100 from 100 to 1000 from 1,000 to 10,000 10,000 ml or more

31. Unless otherwise specified, filtration shall be done through filter paper.

32. Identification tests are useful for identifying food additives and are performed for reaction of ions, reaction of functional groups, physical constants, and other related items.

33. Unless otherwise specified, identification tests shall be performed by placing 2 to 5 ml of the specified solution into a test tube with 8.0- to 15-mm internal diameter.

34. Under the heading of Identification, an expression ".....responds to the test for Carbonate" or " ......responds to the test for Sodium Salt" means that the specified reaction occurs when the test is performed for Carbonate or Sodium Salt as directed under the Qualitative Tests in the General Tests.

35. Purity tests are designed to detect contaminants in food additives, and these tests usually prescribes kinds of possible contaminants and their quantitative limits.

36. To test the clarity and color of a solution, unless otherwise specified, the sample shall be put into the specified solvent and observed after being mixed for 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

37. Where a solution is indicated with the term "clear," "almost clear," "very slightly turbid," "slightly turbid," or "turbid," the determination shall be based on the Turbidity Tests in the General Tests.

38. A liquid described with "no turbidity appears" means that the clarity of the liquid does not change.

39. "A Nessler tube" shall be a colorless-glass and flat-bottom test tube with a ground-glass stopper, with the dimensions of 20 mm in internal diameter, 24 mm in external diameter, and 20 cm in height from the bottom of the tube to the bottom of the stopper. It shall be marked with 5-ml graduations up to 50 ml, and the difference of the height at the graduation of 50 ml between tubes shall not exceed 2 mm.

40. Unless otherwise specified, the term "constant weight" in drying or igniting means that when an additional one hour of drying or ignition is performed, the difference in the two weighings (before and after the additional one hour) is not more than 0.1% of the previous weight of the dried substance or the residue on ignition. Where the difference in weighings is not more than 0.5 mg by a chemical balance or not more than 0.01 mg by a micro chemical balance, the difference is negligible and the weight obtained is deemed to be a constant weight.

41. An assay is the test to determine the contents of components of a food additive or their potency. The limit of the content of a component or the potency declared in each monograph shall apply to the value obtained by the assay. Unless the upper limit is given, the value shall not be more than 100.5%.

42. Where the direction "to dry the sample" or "to ignite the sample" is indicated alone, the conditions for the drying or ignition shall be the same as those given in Loss on Drying or Residue on Ignition under the individual monograph.

Containers

43. Hermetic containers are those capable of protecting the contents from intrusion by extraneous air or other gases during handling and storage under ordinary conditions.

44. Light-resistant containers are those capable of preventing the transmission of light or those wrapped so that the transmission of light is prevented.