South Korea Food Regulation Recap: Q3
Today we publish a relevant recap by Lorraine Li at ChemLinked
Contents
1. South Korea Publishes Imported Food HACCP Operation Regulation. 2
2. South Korea Amends the Food Additive Code. 2
3. South Korea Releases New Packaging Material Requirements. 2
4. South Korea Promulgates the Regulation on Inspection of Imported Food. 2
5. South Korea Consults on the Food Additive Code. 3
6. South Korea Releases the FAQs about Foreign Food Facility Registration. 3
7. South Korea Revises Health Functional Food Code. 3
8. South Korea Issues Special Act on Safety Management of Children’s Dietary Lifestyle. 3
9. South Korea Amends the Safety Assessment Standard of Genetically Modified Food. 3
10. South Korea updates the Food Code. 4
11. South Korea Releases Two Drafts of Food Code. 4
12. South Korea Amends the Enforcement Decree of the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act. 4
14. South Korea Updates Imported Food Act. 5
15. End of Sell-by Date, South Korea Rolls out the Use-by Date for Food. 5
16. South Korea Amends the Enforcement Rule of Food Labeling Act. 5
17. South Korea consults on Packing Material Recyclability Rating Standard. 6
18. South Korea Accepts Electronic Sanitation Certificate of Australian Meat Product 6
19. South Korea Revises the Food Packaging Material Requirements. 6
20. South Korea Modifies the Enforcement Rule of Imported Food Act. 6
22. South Korea Drafts the Standard of Sugar and Sodium Reduction Label 7
23. South Korea Consults on Imported Food Act. 7
24. South Korea Consults on HACCP Operation Regulation for Imported Kimchi 7
25. South Korea Consults on Two Drafts of Food Code. 8
1. South Korea Publishes Imported Food HACCP Operation Regulation
On July 1, 2021, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) revealed a subordinate regulation HACCP Operation Regulation for Imported Food. It details the accreditation requirements, procedure, and investigation. (Read more)
2. South Korea Amends the Food Additive Code
On July 1, 2021, MFDS issued the latest version of Food Additive Code. The regulation introduces a new category of flavoring substances, adds 60 new flavoring substances, modifies the usage standards, organizes the raw material specifications, and optimizes the test methods. MFDS also released an inventory of the permitted food additives for enterprises reference. (Read more and download the inventory at ChemLinked)
3. South Korea Releases New Packaging Material Requirements
On July 9, 2021, Ministry of Environment (MOE) issued the Guideline on Recycling Symbols and Standards of Labeling Quality, which will take effect on January 1, 2022. The “unable to recycle” label is newly added. The recycling symbol texts indicating the packaging material are revised. (Read More)
4. South Korea Promulgates the Regulation on Inspection of Imported Food
On July 15, 2021, MFDS released the Regulation on Inspection of Imported Food to enhance safety control of imported food. The regulation intensifies the pesticide residue inspection, modifies the safe imported food list, and optimizes the pre-inspection requirements for agricultural products shipped by bulk carriers. ChemLinked compiles the pesticide inspection item list for enterprises’ reference. (Read more and download the pesticide inspection item list at ChemLiked)
5. South Korea Consults on the Food Additive Code
On July 29, 2021, MFDS issued the draft of Food Additive Code. To keep aligned with international categorization method, the authority planned to subdivide the category of Caramel Color into Caramel Colors (4 kinds) and Glycerin Esters of Fatty Acids (8 kinds). In addition, a new category of “concoction” is newly proposed. The sulfite is also permitted to be used as the raw material for manufacturing the glucose. (Read More)
6. South Korea Releases the FAQs about Foreign Food Facility Registration
On July 29, 2021, MFDS issued the Guideline of Foreign Food Facility Registration, in which the frequently asked questions about foreign food facility are listed. ChemLinked compiled them into English for enterprises’ reference. Check out the answers to questions about qualified registrant, OEM registration issues, and health functional food registration issues, etc. at ChemLinked.
7. South Korea Revises Health Functional Food Code
On July 29, 2021, MFDS promulgated the latest version of Health Functional Food Code. The regulation updates the dietary reference intake standard, and modifies the Vitamin A’s conversion factor and daily intake amount. The specifications of oil containing EPA and DHA are clarified as well. The provisions concerning oil containing EPA and DHA is implemented along with the regulation’s promulgation on July 29, 2021. Other amendments will come into effect on January 1, 2024. (Read More)
8. South Korea Issues Special Act on Safety Management of Children’s Dietary Lifestyle
On July 27, 2021, MFDS published the Special Act on Safety Management of Children’s Dietary Lifestyle. The regulation specifies that the validity period of quality certification of children’s favorite foods can be prolonged to three years when the validity expires. (Read More)
9. South Korea Amends the Safety Assessment Standard of Genetically Modified Food
On August 6, 2021, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) enforced the Safety Assessment Standard of Genetically Modified Food. For products containing safety-ensured genetically modified agricultural or fishery materials, the related materials can be eliminated from safety assessment. Additionally, the standard also requires enterprises to submit the repeated oral dose toxicity test data for genetically modified food safety evaluation. (Read More)
10. South Korea updates the Food Code
On August 9, 2021, MFDS modified the pesticide residual limit requirements. The standards of 109 pesticides, including Glufosinate (ammonium), Napropamide, Deltamethrin, etc., are revised to keep in line with the updates in Pesticide Control Act. (Read More)
11. South Korea Releases Two Drafts of Food Code
On August 9, 2021, MFDS issued two drafts of Food Code, Draft No.394 and Draft No. 395, for public opinion. Both of them propose the amendments of pesticide residue. In Draft No. 394, 47 kinds of unregistered pesticides are removed from the Food Code, including the meptyldinocap, dimethoate, and diquat, etc. Besides, the maximum residue limits of 33 pesticides are to be modified. In Draft No. 395, the maximum residue limits of 107 pesticides are updated in accordance with the modifications in the Pesticide Control Act.
12. South Korea Amends the Enforcement Decree of the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act
On August 10, 2021, MFDS permits HMR (home meal replacement) food to use meat, eggs, or other livestock sourced materials as the main raw materials in the latest version of Enforcement Decree of the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act. Previously, the product should be registered as a livestock product when containing over 60% livestock materials. The provision about registering new business dealing with the HMR food is brought out along. (Read More)
13. South Korea Consults on the Enforcement Rule of the Special Act on Safety Management of Children’s Dietary Lifestyle
On August 11, 2021, MFDS released the draft of Enforcement Rule of the Special Act on Safety Management of Children’s Dietary Lifestyle. The draft mainly proposes simplifying the application process for prolonging the validity period of children’s favorite foods’ quality certification. Besides, nutrition information of children’s favorite foods is to be disclosed to provide the consumers with more safety information. (Read More)
14. South Korea Updates Imported Food Act
On August 17, 2021, MFDS revised the Imported Food Act. The Act introduces a new concept of “directly purchased overseas food products” and establishes the legal basis for publishing the risk information of such products. The Act also permits conducting the contactless inspection of foreign facilities under special situations such as infectious disease pandemics. (Read More)
15. End of Sell-by Date, South Korea Rolls out the Use-by Date for Food
On August 17, MFDS updates the Food Labeling Act to replace the sell-by date with the use-by date. The provision will be enforced on September 18, 2021. The authority introduced the new date labeling method to reduce the food waste, as lots of food are still safe to eat after the expiration date. A grace period is given for the imported food till January 1, 2023, as stipulated in Imported Food Act (Act No. 18445).
16. South Korea Amends the Enforcement Rule of Food Labeling Act
On August 24, 2021, MFDS disclosed the latest version of Enforcement Rule of Food Labeling Act. The amendments are mainly about sodium nitrite’s safety warnings, the newly introduced administrative penalty, and the food labeling voluntary review for Food for Special Medical Purpose. (Find more at ChemLinked News)
17. South Korea consults on Packing Material Recyclability Rating Standard
On August 23, 2021, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) disclosed the draft of Packing Material Recyclability Rating Standard for public opinion. It proposes three major parts, including a new situation of the “difficult to separate” packaging, new tag standard, and synthetic resin packaging rating criteria. (Read More)
18. South Korea Accepts Electronic Sanitation Certificate of Australian Meat Product
On August 27, 2021, MFDS announced that they would accept the electronic sanitation certificate for import declaration of Australian meat products after September 1, 2021.
The export sanitation certificate is a mandatory certificate for import declaration agreed between the exporting country’s government and the Korean government. It was required to submit the original copy. However, as Australia exports the second most meat products to South Korea, the authority intends to accept the sanitation certificate in electronic form, in an effort to increase convenience and reduce paper waste. (Read More)
19. South Korea Revises the Food Packaging Material Requirements
On September 7, 2021, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) unveiled the latest version of Standards and Specifications for Utensils, Containers, and Packages. It permits recycled PET materials to be used for manufacturing food utensils, containers, and packages. The usage standard of recycled PET material is also specified for safety control. Additionally, a new concept of functional packaging is introduced. The synthetic resin materials are grouped into nine categories. (Find more at ChemLinked News)
20. South Korea Modifies the Enforcement Rule of Imported Food Act
On September 9, 2021, MFDS published the revised Enforcement Rule of Imported Food Act. As the on-site inspection of foreign food facility is permitted to be conducted remotely with electronic devices such as AR smart glasses, the Rule specifies the method of the bidirectional visual communication for the real-time inspection. (Read More)
21. South Korea Consults on the Countries (Regions) Allowed for Import of Livestock Products and Import Sanitation Requirements
On September 10, 2021, MFSD issued the draft of Countries (Regions) Allowed for Import of Livestock Products and Import Sanitation Requirements to solicit public opinions. The draft adds the Home Meal Replacement (HMR) food as a new type of livestock product in accordance with the amendments in Livestock Product Sanitation Control Act. Besides, dairy products from Latvia and Slovakia are to be permitted to export to South Korea. Opinions can be sent to MFDS prior to September 30, 2021. (Read More)
22. South Korea Drafts the Standard of Sugar and Sodium Reduction Label
On September 16, 2021, South Korea published a notice to consult on the draft of Standard of Sugar and Sodium Reduction Label. The authority specified the “fried noodles (유탕면류)” as the first batch of food subject to “sugar reduction” or “sodium reduction” label. The labeling standard is proposed as well. The product can be labeled with “sugar reduction” or “sodium reduction”, when its sugar/sodium content is (1) 10% less than the average sugar/sodium content of the distributed foods of the same category, or (2) 25% less than the contains of the sugar/sodium content of other food of its own corporate. (Read More)
23. South Korea Consults on Imported Food Act
On September 17, 2021, MFSD released a draft of Imported Food Act for public opinions. The authority initially drafted the food safety control of overseas food purchased directly by consumers. The draft proposed to ban the import of food containing risk or hazardous raw materials. An inventory is to be established and publicly noticed. Additionally, the amendments about the “good importer” standard and inspection requirement are modified. (Read More)
24. South Korea Consults on HACCP Operation Regulation for Imported Kimchi
On September 27, 2021, MFDS rolled out the draft of HACCP Operation Regulation for Imported Kimchi. This regulation is to specify the necessary matters for foreign food facility’s HACCP certification. It outlines the details regarding the cooperation between the government of the exporting country and Korean authority, the certification procedure, inspection and evaluation. (Read More)
25. South Korea Consults on Two Drafts of Food Code
On September 30, 2021, MFDS disclosed two drafts of Food Code: Draft No. 2021-464 and Draft No. 2021-465.
The Draft No. 2021-464 mainly outlines the specification and test method of krill oil. It respectively specifies the linolic acid and myristic acid of krill oil as “less than 3%” and “5~13%”. Other proposed amendments include the cheese product’s terminology and grading standard, the veterinary drug’s test method, and the pesticide’s maximum residue limit.
Draft No. 2021-465 mainly proposes to modify the standards and specifications of 109 kinds of pesticides.
Suggestions about Draft No. 2021-464 can be sent to MFDS before November 30, 2021. Suggestions about Draft No. 2021-465 thereof shall be submitted prior to October 19, 2021.
26. South Korea Consults on the Harmful Material Residue Limits in Agricultural Products during Production
On September 30, 2021, MFDS unveiled a notice to solicit public opinions about the changes in the Regulation of Harmful Material Residue Limits in Agricultural Products during Production Stage. It mainly proposed to add the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) of Azoxystrobin and other 13 pesticides and amend the MRLs of Boscalid and other 28 pesticides. Additionally, the applicable standard of pesticide dissipation rate constant is proposed in the draft. (Read More)
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