Korea | Partial Revision of Food Code (No. 2019-57)
- Source: MFDS, Korea
- Jul 3, 2019
- 7 min read
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korea (MFDS) announced partial revisions for the "Specifications and Standards of Food" (hereafter referred to as the "Food Code") under notification no. 2019-57 on Jul 3, 2019.
Reasons for revision
When rice is cooled to refrigeration temperature before being stored in containers, it becomes lumpy and difficult to be put into lunch boxes, so the regulations stipulated for the production/processing of lunch boxes will be revised reasonably such that rice is not cooled below the refrigeration temperature so that it can be put into its containers.
The regulation also sets forth to rationally improve the preservation and distribution temperature of dried tofu to reflect the characteristics of products according to the development and production of various foods; and reinforcing the safety management of food poisoning by strengthening the refrigerated preservation and distribution temperature standards of minced meat and processed minced meat products.
6 aquatic products and microorganisms whose food sources have been confirmed by internationally recognized organizations will be added to the list of food ingredients and velvet bean fruits have been removed from the list of food ingredients due to safety issues raised.
To ensure the reliability of inspections by establishing the analytical method of the Phomopsins and Lupin Alkaloids (Lupinus Angustifolius L.) that specify the conditions and criteria of the food raw materials that are used domestically and internationally.
In order to facilitate the onsite application of microbiological test methods and introduce internationally recognized molecular biology test methods to make it possible to rapidly detect Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Listeria monocytogenes; to clarify that the number of colonies to be counted when calculating the colonization of Clostridium perfringens.
A new standard for the maximum residue limits (MRLs) and safety management of pesticide residues unintentionally left in livestock and marine products due to feed and environmental pollution have been established. The standard of food additives will be amended to reflect the tar colouring standards for sodium saccharin and sauces for rice cakes.
Main Revisions
1) Revised manufacturing and processing standards of lunch boxes [Article 2. 2. 26)]
a) When rice is cooled to refrigeration temperature, it becomes difficult to put it into containers because the rice becomes lumpy, so it is necessary to improve the cooling temperature of the rice.
b) Revision of manufacturing and processing standards so that rice can be stored in a container without cooling below the refrigeration temperature.
c) Establishment of rational manufacturing and processing standards that take into consideration the characteristics of rice to eliminate onsite difficulties and contribute to the revitalization of the prepared food market.
2) Revision of preservation and distribution standards [Article 2. 4. 7) ③ and Article 2. 4. 10))]
a) Revision of storage and distribution temperature standards to reflect product characteristics.
b) Addition of the provisory clause to allow dried products amongst processed tofu to be stored at room temperature.
c) Revision of cold storage and distribution temperature of minced meat or minced meat processed product to -2 to 5 ℃.
d) Establishment of temperature standards that reflect the characteristics of products that are subject to preservation and distribution standards to resolve onsite difficulties and enhance safety management of food poisoning.
3) Clarification of the name and the scientific name of edible pufferfish for the specifications of aquatic products [Article 2. 3. (3)③]
a) Correction of names of eight kinds (Fugu rubripes chinensis, Takifugu chinensis, Lagocephalus inermis, Lagocephalus wheeleri, Lagocephalus gloveri, Fugu flavidus, Takifugu flavidus, Diodon liturosus, Diodon hystrix, Ostracion cubicus) of pufferfish out of the 21 species.
b) Deletion of 13 currently unused scientific names (Fugu, Liosaccus).
c) Addition of scientific names of the edible pufferfish used in foreign countries for five kinds of pufferfish which are named differently, locally to avoid confusion in edible pufferfish (Takifugu niphobles, Takifugu alboplumbeus, Takifugu poecilonotus, Takifugu flavipterus, Lagocephalus wheeleri, Lagocephalus gloveri, ChiLomycterus affinis)
d) Prevention of confusion on judgment of edible pufferfish.
4) Revision of list of food ingredients [Article 1. 3. 28), Article 5. 12. 12-1 3) (2), Article 5. 14. 14-5 3) (1), Table 1 and Table 2]
a) It is necessary to register food ingredients which have been confirmed to be safe for consumption and to clarify the scope and names of raw materials that can be used for food.
b) Revision of definition to ensure that raw materials that have been converted to 'raw materials that can not be used for food' are not included in the provisional standards and specifications.
c) Deletion of velvet bean fruits that has been reported with examples of adverse effects caused by ingestion and hazard information.
d) Addition of 6 aquatic products such as European Flounder (Pleuronectes platessa) to the list of 'raw materials that can be used for food" in [Table 1]
e) Addition of Lindera obtusiloba Bl. flowers, oak chips (bar) and two microorganisms (Penicillium nalgiovense, Gluconobacter oxydans) to the list of 'raw materials that can be used for food with restrictions' in [Table 2].
f) Addition of oak chip (bar) to the list of 'raw materials that can be used for food with restrictions' in [Table 2] and removal from the manufacturing and processing standards of vinegar and fruit wine.
g) Supplying safe food to the people through maintenance of raw materials that can be used for food, contributing to the revitalization of food industry including the development of various products.
5) Establishment and Revision of MRL of livestock and marine products [Table 6 (92)Cartap, (98) Thiocyclam and (99)Ethoxyquin]
a) Integrated management of substances with the same definition and MRLs for livestock and marine products; and the establishment of MRLs for pesticide residues unintentionally left in livestock or marine products due to feed and environmental contamination using pesticides approved by the "Feed Control Act".
b) Integration of individual MRLs for Cartap and Thiocyclam as "Cartap/Thiocyclam".
c) Establishment of MRL for residues that may be remaining in Ethoxyquin via animal feed.
d) Prevention of standards and application confusion; improve food safety management by reasonable specifications and standard management; and to establish MRLs for pesticide ingredients in livestock and marine products based on scientific grounds to supply safe food to Koreans.
6) Revision of general analytical methods [Article 7. 3. 11), Article8. 2. 2.2 2.2.1 2.2.1.1 나. 2) 나), Article8. 2. 2.2 2.2.2 2.2.2.2 나, Article 8. 3. 3.2 3.2.1, Article 8 3. 3.2, 3.2.2, Article 8. 4. 4.1 4.1.2 나, Article 8. 4. 4.4 4.4.1 26), Article 8. 4. 4.4 4.4.1 39), Article 8. 4. 4.4 4.4.1 74), Article 8. 4. 4.4 4.4.1 83), Article 8. 4. 4.4 4.4.1 89), Article 8. 4. 4.4 4.4.1 100), Article 8. 4. 4.5 4.5.1 가. 4), Article 8. 4. 4.7 4.7.1 가. 3), Article 8. 4. 4.7 4.7.1 나, Article 8. 4. 4.8 4.8.2 가. 1), Article 8. 4. 4.8 4.8.2 가. 3) 가), Article 8. 4. 4.14 4.14.2 다, Article 8. 4. 4.15 나, Article 8. 4. 4.26 다, Article 8. 6. 6.2 6.2.1 마, Article 8. 7. 7.3 7.3.2.29, Article 8. 8. 8.3 8.3.9, Article 8. 8. 8.3 8.3.26, Article 8. 8. 8.3 8.3.41, Article 8. 9. 9.8. 9.8.2, Article 8. 11. 11.1 and Article 8. 11. 11.3]
a) Improvement of accuracy and efficiency of the test results, and establishment of analytical methods according to new standards and amendments.
b) Clarification of target subjects that do not have to follow the sampling chart when collecting samples for microorganism testing.
c) Revision of Vitamin B1 and maltooligosaccharide and analytical method.
d) Improvement of analytical method and terminology so that sodium saccharin can be tested via water extraction when conducting liquid chromatograph.
e) During hygiene index microorganism analysis, if the number of colonies counted in the presumptive test is below the prescribed standards, the analytical method should be revised such that the confirmation test can be omitted.
f) Addition of internationally recognized selective culture medium and standardization of differences in the material collection capacity of edible bacterial counts and collection capacity of crude oil, edible oils, edible eggs analytical methods.
g) In the case of the completion test of E. coli group, delete repetitive confirmation of prediction test, and expand threshold of incubation temperature deviation during incubation.
h) Clarification of phrasing to count average number of colonies during clostridium perfringens quantitive test.
i) Introduction of internationally recognized molecular biology tests for Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Listeriamonocytogenes.
j) Establishment of relevant analytical methods according to the establishment of MRLs for livestock and marine products for the safety management of residue materials.
k) Improvement of analytical method for residual veterinary drugs using the latest analysis technology.
l) Improvement of accuracy and efficiency of paralytic shellfish poisoning.
m) Establishment of analyical method for phomopsin (below Phomopsins 5ug/kg ) and Lupine alkaloids (below Lupin alkaloids 200mg/kg) which has been specified in the Food code.
n) Providing safe food to the public by improving the reliability of the test via revision of scientific analytic method
7) Reflecting changes in other laws and regulations such as the Food Sanitation Act [Article No. 2. 1. 1) (8), Article 5. 1. 5) to 6) and 5). 12. 12-2 5) (4)]
a) Revised regulations from the "Food Sanitation Act" and "Standards and Specifications for Food Additives" need to be reflected. b) Among the requirements for raw materials, reflection of revised contents for genetically modified food in the "Food Sanitation Act" (No. 2018-98)
c) Removal of saccharin sodium non-detection standards for rice cakes food products.
d) Reflection of revised standards and specifications of tar coloring agents for sauces.
e) Enhancement of the reliability of food safety management by preventing confusion on application of standards and specifications.
8) Revisions in supplementary laws of Food Sanitation Act (No. 2018-98)
a) In order to manufacture and sell food for infants and young children other than those stipulated under 'special-purpose foods', it is necessary to adjust the effective date and it will be required to display that the products are intended for consumption by 'infants and young children'. b) Food manufacturers, processors, livestock processing business operators or importer may apply the standards and specifications of the food to be sold and labeled as intended for the infants and young children as per the revisions stipulated in notification No. 2018-98 in advance, only if they intend to do so before the effective date of revision.
c) Revitalization of the food industry and assurance of consumers by distributing safe food according to characteristics of infants and young children.
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