Provisional Translation
| OTO No. | 650 | Classification | MHLW-(9) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of Acceptance | April 23, 2002 | Ministry/Agency Receiving Complaint | Cabinet Office |
| Responsible Ministries | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | Related Laws | Ministerial Ordinance on Ingredient Specifications for Milk and Dairy Products |
| Complainant | Domestic individual | Exporting Countries | USA New Zealand |
| Subject | Abolishment or relaxation of the prohibition on milking cows' first milk | ||
| Description of Complaint | Japan specifies a prohibition on milking cows within five days of their bearing young within the country under its standards of the ingredients and production, processing and preservation of cow's milk, etc. (Article 3, Table 2.1. (2)-1, Ministerial Ordinance Concerning Compositional Standards, etc. for Milk and Dairy Products). It is not permitted to import foods that have been produced using a method not in compliance with the standards (Article 7, Clause 2, Food Sanitation Law). However, cow's first milk contains a large amount of an immunoglobulin (IgG), which has a high resistance to pathogenic germs and is said to be useful for human health. Although special milk and health foods containing cow's first milk are sold in the United States, New Zealand, etc., Japan cannot import them due to the regulations mentioned above. Therefore, the complainant requests the ministry to abolish or relax the regulations so that he can import those products, which are produced and sold overseas. |
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| Details of Measures | The ministry replied as follows: It is because the cow's first milk is very different from its normal milk that the Ministerial Ordinance Concerning Compositional Standards, etc. for Milk and Dairy Products prohibits milking cows within five days of their bearing young. Cow's fresh milk within the period contains about twice as much solids and about five times as much of the proteins as a cow's milk at normal times, as well as much lipid and ash. Since sufficient information is not available on the influence that the cow's first milk has on human health, the ministry thinks it difficult to immediately abolish or relax the prohibition at this point of time. |
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| Classification of Processing | D | Directions | II-b |
| Remarks | A written reply was made on May 8, 2002. | ||