Food · Seasonings
Bonito Extract (Katsuobushi)
鰹節エキス (Katsuobushi ekisu)
Also known as: Skipjack Tuna Extract, Bonito Dashi Extract
At a glance
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| INCI name | Not applicable (food use) |
| Japanese labeling name | Not applicable (food use) |
| Common Japanese notations | 鰹節エキス, カツオブシエキス |
| Origin | Animal-derived (dried, fermented, smoked skipjack tuna) |
| Typical functions | Umami flavoring (primary), Functional peptide source (anserine, carnosine) |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Food regulated under the Food Sanitation Act. Functional-food applications (imidazole dipeptides) may be notified under the Foods with Function Claims system. |
Katsuobushi — the dried, smoked, and fermented form of skipjack tuna — is the essential ingredient of Japanese dashi stock. A secondary product stream concentrates the extract for seasoning applications, and isolated components (including anserine and carnosine, collectively known as imidazole dipeptides) have entered the supplement and functional food categories.
Classification
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Product applications
Functions
Regulatory tags
Used in (typical product categories)
Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.
- Dashi base stock
- Seasoning pastes and sauces
- Imidazole-dipeptide-positioned supplements
What it is
Katsuobushi is produced by boiling, smoking, and sun-drying skipjack tuna, sometimes followed by inoculation with Aspergillus glaucus for extended fermentation. The finished product is shaved into flakes for dashi preparation.
Extract-grade katsuobushi is concentrated through water or enzymatic processing. The extract contains free amino acids (notably inosine-monophosphate-bound and free forms), imidazole dipeptides, and umami-active nucleotides.
Typical uses in Japanese products
In food, katsuobushi is the primary umami source in Japanese cooking — the base of dashi, a topping for okonomiyaki and takoyaki, and a component of many sauces.
In supplements, anserine and carnosine isolated from katsuobushi are sold under various positioning, including Foods with Function Claims where specific notifications have been accepted.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Food regulation under Food Sanitation Act.
Functional-food applications under the Consumer Affairs Agency Foods with Function Claims system where specific notifications are on file.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Katsuobushi and derivatives are traditional foods outside the EU, and imports may require specific food safety documentation. Fish-derived functional peptides may fall under Novel Food regulation. |
|---|---|
| USA | Food use and supplement use are established. |
| China | Umami-use preparations permitted under food classifications. |
| Korea | Similar Japanese-cuisine-style applications exist. |
Example products
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Related ingredients
References
- MAFF food classification — katsuobushi
Last updated: 2026-04-22. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.