Chief	Yoshiko Ishimi

Our department is responsible for analyses of “Food for Special Dietary Uses” collected for examination of its food components and analyses required to proceed with approval of its labeling under the Health Promotion Law, investigation on the concepts of nutrition labeling, and research on nutritional and physiological evaluation of food components in foods with health claims.

Furthermore, information on foods that addresses the increased health consciousness among people are collected, and impact of labeling of these food on one's health are investigated, so as to eliminate anxiety surrounding health foods among consumers. In addition, we evaluate effectiveness and safety of these food components, and examine their interactions with pharmaceutical products.

Section of Food Component Analysis

Head	Jun Takebayashi

This section undertakes analyses of “Food for Special Dietary Uses ”collected for its examination, those required to proceed with approval of its labeling, those of foods with nutritional labeling using GC and HPLC, so as to confirm that the nutrients and food components are included as labeled. In addition, we work on development of analytical techniques for nutrients and new food components in “Food for Specified Health Uses”, management of analytical accuracy and standardization of the standard foods.

Section of Food and Nutrition Labeling

Head	Jun Yamauchi

This section undertakes basic research to evaluate physiological function of specific nutrient in foods and its labeling. In particular, we work on nutritional and physiological research, focusing on micronutrients (e.g. vitamin A, vitamin D), so as to explore possible new application for health promotion of people. Based on which, we investigate the appropriate concepts of nutrition labeling.

Section of Food Function

Head	Yoshiko Ishimi
Researcher	Yuko Tousen

This section works on research to secure safe use of functional foods; e.g. evaluation of effects of intake of functional foods on health. For which, we also investigate how medicinal effects could be affected if medicine are taken together with functional foods, and whether there is any functional foods to be cautioned for its intake. Besides, we attempt to search new food components with certain functionality and develop functional foods that would contribute to health promotion of people.