Why source from Japan
Domestic Japanese semi-dried and fully-dried shirasu processing produces export-grade calcium-fortified retail products at scale.
Key spec
Calcium 1,800-2,400 mg/100g dry; protein 60-70%; vitamin D 4-12 µg/100g; DHA / EPA preserved.
Typical end-product
Fresh / semi-dried retail, calcium-fortified supplement, donburi / pasta retail toppers.
At a glance
- Suppliers listed
- 2 suppliers
- Typical MOQ
- 10–100 kg fresh-frozen; 5–25 kg semi-dried; 1–10 kg fully-dried
- Typical lead time
- 4–8 weeks
- Regions of origin
- Shizuoka, Kanagawa, Wakayama, Hyogo, Kochi
- Category
- Food ingredients
- Harvest season
- March – November (peak May – September)
- Japan regulatory status
- Food product; mercury / methylmercury monitoring
- Japanese name
- しらす
- Romaji
- しらす
About this ingredient
Juvenile sardine and anchovy fry (typically <30mm), boiled and either eaten fresh, semi-dried (kama-age, chirimen), or fully-dried (chirimen-jako). Shizuoka, Kanagawa, Wakayama, Hyogo, and Kochi are the principal commercial harvest regions. Calcium-rich (~2,000 mg/100g dry) and increasingly used as a calcium-fortification ingredient in functional foods. Distinct from existing niboshi entry (which is a smaller-volume, larger-fish anchovy).
Regulatory status
| Japan | Food product; mercury / methylmercury monitoring |
|---|---|
| EU | Food import; fish-allergen labelling |
| United States | GRAS; FDA Prior Notice; fish-allergen labelling |
| China | GACC food facility registration |
Looking for alternatives?
Common reasons buyers swap to a different ingredient — and what we'd suggest based on this ingredient's profile.
Vegan / plant-based alternatives
Shirasu (Juvenile Sardine) is animal-derived. If you need a non-animal source with similar functions, consider:
Sansho Pepper
山椒
Zanthoxylum piperitum source; INCI Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract; MOQ from 1–10 kg (dried peppercorn); 100 g – 5 kg (powder).
Plant-based· shares 2 categories
Wasabi Powder
山葵粉末
Wasabia japonica (Eutrema japonicum) source; INCI Wasabia Japonica Root Powder; MOQ from 1–10 kg (powder); 100 kg+ (bulk paste).
Plant-based· shares 2 categories
Fucoidan
フコイダン
INCI Fucoidan (from various brown seaweeds); MOQ from 1–10 kg.
Plant-based· shares 2 categories
Easier China regulatory path
Shirasu (Juvenile Sardine) faces a more restrictive regulatory pathway in China. These alternatives have a simpler status in that market:
Akamoku (Gulfweed Seaweed)
アカモク
Fucoxanthin 0.05-0.3% dry weight; soluble dietary fibre 30-40%; alginate 15-25%.
Simpler in China· shares 3 categories
Nigari (Bittern / Magnesium Chloride)
にがり
Magnesium chloride 60–95% (varies by source); pH 6.5–7.5; coagulation rate ideal 0.4–0.7% in soy milk for tofu.
Simpler in China· shares 3 categories
Kanten (Agar)
寒天
Gel strength 600–1,000 g/cm² (varies by grade); galactose-rich polysaccharide; ash content <5% for premium grades.
Simpler in China· shares 3 categories
When does it make sense to swap an ingredient? Read the swap guide →
Japanese suppliers
Disclaimer
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Last updated: 2026-05-05