Food · Teas
Sencha Extract
煎茶エキス (Sencha ekisu)
Also known as: Japanese Green Tea Extract (Sencha)
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| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| INCI name | Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (for cosmetic use)↗ |
| Japanese labeling name | チャ葉エキス |
| Common Japanese notations | 煎茶エキス, センチャエキス |
| Origin | Plant-derived (Camellia sinensis, steamed and rolled) |
| Typical functions | Food/beverage use (primary), Antioxidant |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Food regulated under the Food Sanitation Act. Cosmetic applications under the Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract JSCI entry. |
Sencha is the most widely consumed style of Japanese green tea — the everyday cup. Unlike matcha (shade-grown, stone-ground) and gyokuro (shade-grown, leaves intact), sencha is produced from sun-grown tea leaves that are steamed, rolled, and dried. It represents the majority of Japanese tea production.
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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
Origin
Common OEM product categories
Finished-product categories where Japanese OEM manufacturers commonly formulate with this ingredient.
- Everyday Japanese green tea beverage
- Culinary applications
- Cosmetic tea extract category
Ingredient profile
Sencha is produced by harvesting Camellia sinensis leaves, steaming them to halt enzymatic oxidation, rolling them to shape the leaf and release flavor compounds, and drying. The finished leaves are a distinctive bright green and brew to a yellow-green liquor with a characteristic umami-plus-astringency balance.
OEM applications
In beverage use, sencha is brewed in hot water (typically around 70–80°C for higher grades, hotter for everyday sencha). It is the default green tea served at meals, offered to guests, and consumed daily.
In food and cosmetic contexts, sencha-derived extracts are handled under the general Camellia sinensis leaf extract framework.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Food regulation under Food Sanitation Act.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Food tea is broadly permitted. |
|---|---|
| USA | Imported and sold as specialty tea. |
| China | Imported as specialty Japanese tea. |
| Korea | Similar green teas (nokcha) exist in Korean tea culture. |
Market reference formulations
Example finished products will be added after verification. Regional sencha brands (Shizuoka, Mie, Kagoshima, etc.) are handled as descriptive origin notes rather than as product names.
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.
Alternative ingredients
Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.
Quick answers
- What is Sencha Extract?
- Sencha is the most widely consumed style of Japanese green tea — the everyday cup. Unlike matcha (shade-grown, stone-ground) and gyokuro (shade-grown, leaves intact), sencha is produced from sun-grown tea leaves that are steamed, rolled, and dried. It represents the majority of Japanese tea production.
- What is the regulatory status of Sencha Extract in Japan?
- Food regulated under the Food Sanitation Act. Cosmetic applications under the Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract JSCI entry.
- What products typically use Sencha Extract?
- Everyday Japanese green tea beverage / Culinary applications / Cosmetic tea extract category
- Where does Sencha Extract come from?
- Plant-derived (Camellia sinensis, steamed and rolled)
- What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Sencha Extract?
- INCI: Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (for cosmetic use) / JSCI: チャ葉エキス
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From the same origin
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Regulatory guidance
Take the next step
FAQ for OEM buyers
Q. What distinguishes sencha from matcha and gyokuro?
All three are unoxidized green teas from Camellia sinensis, but they differ in cultivation and processing. Sencha is grown in full sunlight, steamed, rolled, and dried into needle-shaped leaves; it accounts for the majority of Japanese tea production. Gyokuro is shade-grown for around three weeks before harvest, raising L-theanine and lowering catechins, then processed similarly to sencha. Matcha is shade-grown like gyokuro but the leaves are de-stemmed (tencha) and stone-milled into a fine powder consumed in suspension.
Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-26
Q. What are the main bioactive compounds in sencha extract?
Sencha leaves and their water-soluble extracts contain (per published Japanese tea-chemistry data): catechins 12–18% of dry leaf, principally epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG); caffeine 2–4%; L-theanine 1–2%; chlorophyll, carotenoids, and saponins; vitamin C in fresh-leaf preparations. EGCG is the most-studied catechin in clinical literature for antioxidant and metabolic outcomes.
Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-26
Q. Are there safety considerations for high-EGCG green tea extract?
Yes. EFSA's 2018 scientific opinion concluded that EGCG doses ≥800 mg/day from green tea extracts may be associated with hepatotoxicity in some individuals, particularly when consumed on an empty stomach or as bolus supplements. Brewed sencha consumed traditionally is not implicated; the safety signal applies to concentrated extract supplements. Several jurisdictions now require warning statements on green-tea-extract products at high concentrations.
Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-26
Q. Are there Foods with Function Claims (FFC) registered for green tea catechins in Japan?
Yes. Multiple FFC notifications cite gallate-type catechins from green tea (in beverages and supplements) for claims around body fat reduction support and abdominal fat reduction. Specific approved wording, dosage, and target populations are set per notification and listed in the Consumer Affairs Agency database. Japan's pioneering Tokuho 'Healthya' (花王) is the historical reference product for the catechin–body-fat claim.
Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-26
Use cases
Ready-to-drink (RTD) green tea beverages
- Positioning
- Authentic Japanese green tea SKU at premium price point versus generic Asian green tea blends.
- Typical usage level
- Sencha extract at 0.05–0.2% in finished RTD beverage to deliver target catechin and brewed-tea flavor.
- Formulation notes
- Use ascorbic acid to stabilize color and catechins; avoid extreme heat treatments after extract addition.
Sources
Industry-knowledge claim — not yet pinned to a single primary source
Body-fat reduction Tokuho / FFC supplements
- Positioning
- Catechin-standardized soft gels or tablets with FFC-notified body-fat reduction support claims.
- Typical usage level
- FFC products in this category typically provide 200–540 mg of gallate-type catechins per daily serving — verify specific notification.
Antioxidant skincare formulations
- Positioning
- Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract as a natural antioxidant active in toners, essences, and sun-care.
- Typical usage level
- 0.5–3% extract solution in finished cosmetic.
Tea-flavored confectionery and ice cream
- Positioning
- Authentic Japanese green tea flavor for premium confectionery; differentiated from matcha by sencha's brighter, less vegetal profile.
- Typical usage level
- Sencha extract powder 0.5–2% on finished mass.
Sources
Industry-knowledge claim — not yet pinned to a single primary source
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Official regulatory databases
External links to public Japanese / international regulatory authorities. We are not affiliated.
References
- 農林水産省 (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) JAS standards — tea
Last updated: 2026-04-22. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.