Food · Fermented foods
Pork Mince (Buta-Hikiniku)
ぶた ひき肉 (Buta hikiniku)
Also known as: Buta hikiniku, Pork mince, Ground pork, 豚挽肉, 豚ひき肉, 豚ミンチ
Looking for a Japanese supplier of Pork Mince (Buta-Hikiniku)? Tell usAt a glance
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Japanese labeling name | ぶた ひき肉 |
| Common Japanese notations | 豚ひき肉, 豚挽肉, 豚ミンチ, ぶた挽肉 |
| Origin | Pork mince — typically processed from sangen-ton (LWD-cross commercial pork) trim, shoulder, or non-premium cuts; **commercial pure-pork ground (100% pork) is differentiated from 'aibiki' (合挽き) which is mixed beef-pork**; principal production by major meat processors (NH Foods, Itoham, Marudai); year-round retail supply |
| Typical functions | Gyōza filling — defining Japanese-Chinese-fusion home staple, Shumai filling, Hambāgu (with beef-mince in aibiki, or pure-pork variant), Mabo-tofu and Chinese-cuisine signature, Tonjiru (pork miso-soup) volume meat, Pre-formed gyōza/shumai retail OEM |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Standard food labeling. **Origin disclosure (domestic vs imported).** **Pork JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen.** **For aibiki, beef and pork co-content disclosure mandatory.** |
Pork mince (豚ひき肉 / 豚挽肉) is Japanese ground pork — typically sangen-ton (LWD-cross) trim. **Defining ingredient for gyōza, shumai, hambāgu (aibiki), mabo-tofu, tonjiru.** Major B2B raw material for pre-formed gyōza/shumai OEM.
Classification
Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.
Product applications
Functions
Regulatory tags
Origin
Used in (typical product categories)
Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.
- Fresh pork-mince retail
- Frozen pork-mince B2B (major foodservice raw material)
- Aibiki (mixed beef-pork) is a separate retail/B2B category
- Pre-formed gyōza/shumai-filling B2B
What it is
Pork mince — typically sangen-ton (LWD-cross) trim/shoulder.
Typical uses in Japanese products
Gyōza filling defining Japanese-Chinese-fusion staple.
Shumai filling.
Hambāgu (pure-pork or aibiki).
Mabo-tofu and Chinese-cuisine.
Tonjiru pork miso-soup.
For OEM: fresh retail, frozen B2B major, pre-formed gyōza/shumai-filling B2B.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Standard food labeling.
**Pork JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen.**
**For aibiki, beef and pork co-content disclosure mandatory.**
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Pork-specific Trichinella inspection. Origin disclosure required. |
|---|---|
| USA | USDA pork-mince inspection. |
| China | Established commodity. |
| Korea | Established commodity. |
Example products
Example finished products will be added after verification.
All brand names and product names referenced anywhere on this site are the property of their respective owners. Example entries are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.
Related ingredients
Explore related ingredients
Used in similar product applications
Other ingredients commonly used in the same finished-product families.
Abura-age (Fried Thin Tofu)
油揚げ
Seasonings & saucesFermented foods
Agemaki (Jackknife Clam)
あげまき
Seasonings & saucesFermented foods
Ago Dashi (Flying Fish Stock)
あごだし
Seasonings & saucesFermented foods
Ahiru-niku (Domestic Duck)
あひる 肉
Seasonings & saucesFermented foods
Aigamo-niku (Hybrid Duck)
かも あいがも 肉
Seasonings & saucesFermented foods
Sharing similar functions
Ingredients that overlap on functional benefit tags.
From the same origin
Other ingredients that share an origin classification.
References
- MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — ぶた ひき肉
Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.