We would like to inform everyone about the origin of the pink color of “Atago no Matsu Harukoi Junmai Ginjo Namazake”.

Our product “Atago no Matsu Harukoi Junmai Ginjo Namazake” does not use “red yeast rice” or “raw materials derived from red yeast rice”.

The pink color comes from the “red sake yeast” registered as “Kyokai Yeast” by the Japan Brewing Association.

We would like to reassure everyone that “Harukoi” is safe to continue drinking, and we thank you for your continued patronage.

*The following is an excerpt from the Japan Brewing Association homepage (http://jozo.or.jp/yeast/red/)
◆Red yeast for sake (peach-colored, cloudy sake)
Isolation source: Adenine auxotrophic strain
Separators: Naomichi Nishitani, Hirozo Ouchi
Separation and practical year: 2002
Properties/Characteristics: For low concentration, sweet and soft type pink cloudy sake
1. Adenine auxotrophic yeast strain of sake yeast
2. Producing red pigment with moromi