ヤーコン (Yākon)

Japanese yacon cultivation matured 1990s-2000s with locally-adapted cultivars and FOS-standardised processing; FFC notifications support functional retail positioning.
Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) 60-70% dry weight; potassium 200-300 mg/100g; very low glycemic index.
Yacon syrup as low-GI sweetener, yacon-cha (tea) for digestive-positioned retail, FOS-standardised supplements.
Andean tuber introduced to Japan in the 1980s and now cultivated commercially in Ibaraki, Nagano, and Hokkaido. Functional positioning centres on fructooligosaccharide (FOS) content — yacon roots are 60-70% FOS, the highest naturally-occurring concentration of any commonly-cultivated crop. FFC notifications support digestive-health and metabolic positioning. Sold fresh as a salad-and-juicing tuber, dried as yacon-cha (yacon tea), and processed into syrup as a low-glycemic natural sweetener. Distinct from existing 'kuzu-starch' and 'mochigome' carbohydrate-related entries.
| Japón | FFC notifications exist (digestive-health); food product status |
|---|---|
| Unión Europea | Novel Food consideration where pre-1997 EU history absent |
| Estados Unidos | GRAS (FOS established); DSHEA NDI for supplement-grade |
| China | Imported tuber; GACC food facility registration; phytosanitary certificate |