Food · Fermented foods

Ma-iwashi (Japanese Sardine)

まいわし (Ma-iwashi)

Also known as: Ma-iwashi, Japanese sardine, Sardinops melanostictus, 真鰯

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At a glance

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	まいわし
Common Japanese notations	まいわし, 真鰯, マイワシ
Origin	Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus); pelagic schooling fish; principal landings Chiba (Choshi), Ibaraki, Hokkaido, Mie; cyclical population swings characterize this species
Typical functions	Volume retail sashimi and shioyaki, Maru-boshi (whole-dried) and mezashi (skewer-dried) retail, Iwashi-no-tsumire (sardine fish-balls) processed-food, Iwashi-bushi (dried sardine for dashi), Functional positioning (high DHA/EPA omega-3)
Regulatory status in Japan	Standard food labeling. Fish allergen recommended.

Ma-iwashi (まいわし / 真鰯) — Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) — is a volume pelagic fish for sashimi/shioyaki, traditional dried products (maru-boshi, mezashi), processed-food applications (iwashi-no-tsumire, canned products), and functional DHA/EPA positioning.

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Classification

Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.

Product applications

Functions

Flavoring486

Regulatory tags

Culinary ingredient512

Origin

Marine-derived163

Common OEM product categories

Finished-product categories where Japanese OEM manufacturers commonly formulate with this ingredient.

Fresh and frozen ma-iwashi retail
Maru-boshi and mezashi traditional retail
Pre-prepared shime-iwashi (vinegared)
Iwashi canned products

Ingredient profile

Sardinops melanostictus Japanese sardine.

OEM applications

Volume sashimi/shioyaki.

Maru-boshi, mezashi traditional dried.

Iwashi-no-tsumire and canned products.

Iwashi-bushi for dashi.

DHA/EPA functional positioning.

For OEM: dried iwashi retail, canned products OEM, fish-ball production.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Fish allergen recommended.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EU	Major established global sardine trade.
USA	Established US sardine market.
China	Major global trade.
Korea	Established trade.

Market reference formulations

Example finished products will be added after verification.

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Seasonality & supply calendar

Harvest months: June – October
Peak supply: September – October
Off-season: January – April

Source: 水産庁 landings statistics. Late-summer / autumn iwashi has the highest fat content.

Storage requirements

How the receiving OEM facility needs to handle inbound raw material.

Temperature: Chilled 0°C; frozen −20°C; super-frozen −40°C for sashimi grade
Conditions: High oil / DHA / EPA content — oxidation-sensitive
Shelf life: Chilled 3–5 days; frozen 6 months

Supply concentration

Where this ingredient comes from — useful for single-source-risk planning.

Primary regions: Chiba, Ibaraki, Mie (purse-seine fleet hub)
Import dependence: Mostly domestic; canning grade imports from Peru (anchoveta-based blends)

水産庁

Certifications commonly available

Certification schemes commonly obtainable for this raw material. Always confirm the specific supplier's current certificate before contracting.

Scheme	Availability
MSC	On-request	Some Japanese maiwashi purse-seine fisheries MSC-certified
Halal	Inherent
Kosher	Inherent

Alternative ingredients

Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.

Katakuchi Iwashi

Quick answers

What is Ma-iwashi (Japanese Sardine)?: Ma-iwashi (まいわし / 真鰯) — Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) — is a volume pelagic fish for sashimi/shioyaki, traditional dried products (maru-boshi, mezashi), processed-food applications (iwashi-no-tsumire, canned products), and functional DHA/EPA positioning.
What is the regulatory status of Ma-iwashi (Japanese Sardine) in Japan?: Standard food labeling. Fish allergen recommended.
What products typically use Ma-iwashi (Japanese Sardine)?: Fresh and frozen ma-iwashi retail / Maru-boshi and mezashi traditional retail / Pre-prepared shime-iwashi (vinegared) / Iwashi canned products
Where does Ma-iwashi (Japanese Sardine) come from?: Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus); pelagic schooling fish; principal landings Chiba (Choshi), Ibaraki, Hokkaido, Mie; cyclical population swings characterize this species
What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Ma-iwashi (Japanese Sardine)?: JSCI: まいわし

Often used with

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Same category

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Used in similar product applications

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Sharing similar functions

Ingredients that overlap on functional benefit tags.

From the same origin

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Official regulatory databases

External links to public Japanese / international regulatory authorities. We are not affiliated.

MEXT 食品成分DB（検索） ↗

References

文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — まいわし各形態

Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.