"Certified," "Patented," "Award-Winning": A 2026 Guide to Checking Certification and Endorsement Claims
JRQ consumer verification guide Published: November 6, 2026
People often ask “What are the top 10 NMN brands?” or “Which high-end supplement brands are there?” If you try to answer these questions by looking only at certifications, patents, and awards on packaging, it is easy to be misled. JRQ does not publish brand rankings and currently does not issue any certification. This guide covers one thing only: how to check claims such as “certified,” “patented,” “award-winning,” and “recommended by an authoritative body.”
Check certifications by asking four questions first
Certifications on packaging vary widely. When checking one, start with four questions: Who issued it? On what basis? Does it apply to the factory, the raw material, or the finished product? Can the certification number and validity period be found?
First, identify the issuing body behind the certification name and logo. If a logo appears with no full organization name, or the organization name is vague, take care. The certification number should be searchable on the issuing body’s official website. If the number cannot be found, or its format looks wrong, be cautious. Check the validity period as well. Some certifications have expired but still appear on packaging. The validity period should be shown next to the certification information or be available on the official website.
Next, look at what the certification covers. Many certifications say “this factory is GMP certified.” GMP certification applies to a factory, not to a single product. In Japan, some third-party bodies certify health food factories for GMP, such as the Japan Health and Nutrition Food Association (JHNFA) and the Japanese Institute for Health Food Standards (JIHFS). Both certify factories, and both publish certified factory information on their websites. So do not assume that a specific bottle is certified just because a certification mark appears on the package.
Also check which specification or standard the certification is based on. Is it about hygiene management, quality control, or purity requirements for a specific ingredient? When this information is stated clearly, you have a basis for verification.
A patent number describes a technical solution, not an effect
When a package says “Patent No. XXXX,” you can look it up, but first be clear about what a patent actually describes.
Patent numbers can be checked in patent databases. Japanese patents can be searched on J-PlatPat, the patent information platform provided by the Japan Patent Office. Chinese patents can be searched through the China National Intellectual Property Administration’s patent search system. If the patent is found, the patent exists. If it cannot be found, or the number does not match, that is a problem.
But a patent protects a technical solution, such as a manufacturing method, an extraction method, or a device. It does not say anything about a product’s effects. Some people see the word “patent” and think the product has been approved by the government. That is a misunderstanding. A granted patent is not proof that the product works, and it is not a safety endorsement.
When checking, also see whether the patent matches the product. Is it a patent for the raw material, the finished product, or a particular process? Also check whether the patent is still in force. If the package only says “patented technology” without a patent number, there is basically nothing to verify.
Awards and “recommendations from authoritative bodies”: look at who is evaluating
For claims like “award-winning,” “top 10 brand,” or “recommended by an authoritative body,” the key is not how many awards there are, but who issued them and what was evaluated.
First check whether the awarding organization actually exists and whether it has public information. Then look at the scope and method of the selection. Was it run by an industry association, a trade show, a media outlet, or a paid commercial ranking? Commercial awards usually charge a fee, but that does not automatically make them fake. It only means they are not the same as statutory approval. An award with no published selection rules has very limited reference value.
The same applies to “recommendations.” Ask what kind of body is making the recommendation, whether it is recommending a product or a company, and whether there is a public record of it. Some recommendations are only paid advertising space and do not amount to any quality recognition.
Association membership is not certification. A company’s membership in an association may mean only that it paid membership fees. JRQ has a membership system. Its scheme for confirming conformity with its standards is still in preparation, and it currently issues no certification certificates or marks and makes no brand recommendations. If you see a product or organization claiming to be “JRQ certified,” check JRQ’s official website. When you see “association certified,” go to that association’s website and check whether it has a certification scheme. If the association has no certification scheme and only a membership list, it cannot be called certification.
Separate statutory approvals and notifications from private certifications
Japan has one scheme that is easy to confuse with certification: Foods with Function Claims (FFC). It is not certification, and it is not approval. It is a notification filed with the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA). The CAA website has a search page for FFC notification information, where you can search by product name or notification number to find the notified functional claim and the supporting materials. Japan also has Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU), which are approved individually by the CAA. If the package bears the relevant mark, it also falls under statutory approval.
Health foods in mainland China carry the “blue hat” logo and a registration or filing number. You can check them on the State Administration for Market Regulation’s special food information query platform. Products without the “blue hat” are ordinary foods and must not claim health functions.
Statutory marks and private certifications are two different things. Statutory marks have a unified place to check, and misuse carries legal liability. Private certifications are the opposite: the bodies that issue them vary widely, and you can only check them by using the four questions described above.
Verification checklist
| Item to check | Where to look | What adequate information looks like | Warning signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certification name and logo | Package, product detail page | States the issuing body’s full name, the standard it is based on, what is certified, the certification number, and the validity period | Only a logo or words like “authoritative certification” with no organization name or number |
| GMP certification | Issuing body’s official website | The certification object is stated as “factory,” and the factory can be found on the website | Says “GMP-certified product” without naming the factory |
| Patent number | Japan Patent Office or China National Intellectual Property Administration patent search system | The patent can be found, the patent content matches the product, and the status is valid | Only says “patented technology” with no patent number, or treats “having a patent” as “the patent proves it works” |
| Awards, rankings | Awarding organization’s official website or public materials | There is a selection scope, selection rules, and award year, and the record can be found | Says “global top 10” or “high-end brand” but no awarding body or selection method can be found |
| Association membership/certification | The association’s official website | The website has a certification scheme, and the certified object and basis can be found | Only says “member unit” but presents it as certification or recommendation |
| Foods with Function Claims (FFC) in Japan | Consumer Affairs Agency FFC search | Has a notification number, and the functional claim matches the notification | No notification number, or described as “certification” |
| Health foods in mainland China | State Administration for Market Regulation special food information query platform | Has the “blue hat” logo and a registration or filing number, and the function matches the approval document | No “blue hat,” but health functions are claimed |
Common misconceptions
- “Having a patent means it works.” Not true. A patent protects a technical solution; it does not prove that taking the product has any effect.
- “GMP certified this bottle of product.” Not true. GMP certification applies to a factory, not to an individual bottle.
- “Being an association member means the association endorses it.” Not true. Membership is not quality certification.
- “Many awards means it is reliable.” Not true. You need to see who issued the awards, what was evaluated, and whether there are public rules.
- “Having a certification means it is safe.” Not true. A certification only covers what it explicitly states and its scope; it does not mean every aspect has been reviewed.
Related JRQ standards
JRQ has published the following standards. They can be used as references when checking packaging and promotional materials.
- JRQ-D-014 Certification and Accreditation Labeling Standard: For checking the name, logo, basis, issuing body, and certified object of certification and accreditation claims.
- JRQ-D-013 Comparison Labeling Standard: When looking at rankings and comparison tests, check the selection scope, material conditions, indicator alignment, and the scope of conclusions.
- JRQ-D-006 Research Citation Labeling Standard: Cited references should be traceable back to the original material for checking.
- JRQ-D-007 Overseas Raw Material Labeling Standard: Claims about the country or region of overseas raw materials should state which process step is involved, what document supports the claim, and which batch it corresponds to.
Scope of this guide
This guide only explains how to check certification, patent, and award information on packaging and promotional materials. It does not evaluate the effects of any ingredient, and it does not recommend or certify any specific product. If you are taking medication, have a chronic condition, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult a doctor or pharmacist before purchasing.
Other guides: Reading "research shows" claims · Checking safety information · Checking label dosage information · Ingredient identity and isomers · New ingredients: status and labeling · Checking comparison claims · Checking combination formulas · Checking overseas raw material claims · Checking regenerative medicine providers in Japan · Checking "stem cell" products · Storage and stability · Reading "not detected" · Lot numbers and authenticity · Production methods and impurities · Checking glutathione labels · Checking 5-ALA labels · Reading advertising terms · Questions to ask sellers · Checking cell storage services · Checking PQQ labels · Phosphatidylserine labels · Alpha-lipoic acid labels · Checking ergothioneine labels · Checking plasmalogen labels · Checking quercetin labels · Checking creatine labels · Checking sesamin labels · Berberine labeling and status