Korea | Partial Revision of Food Code (No. 2020-3)
- Source: MFDS, Korea
- Jan 14, 2020
- 2 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. 2020-3 on Jan 14, 2020.
Reasons for revision
In order to provide safer foods, the MFDS will reinforce 3-MCPD standards for acid-hydrolysed soy sauce and blended soy sauce; newly establish standards against amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) for shellfish and crustaceans; and expand and strengthen the existing lead standards prescribed only for candy and jelly among children's snacks.
In addition, for the proper safety management of products classified as “other processed products” because their main ingredient is a dairy product or the dairy ingredient does not meet the definition of processed dairy products, the MFDS will establish a new food type and the specifications and standards for processed food containing milk; and revise the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticides residues found in agricultural products domestically and abroad.
Main Revisions
1) Revision of 3-MCPD standards for Soy Sauce [Article 2. 3. 5) (7)].
a) Resolution of debate over adequacy through harmonization of domestic 3-MCPD standards and international standards (EU) is required.
b) Reinforcement of 3-MCPD standard for acid-hydrolysed soy sauce and blended soy sauce.
c) Provision of safe food to the public by strengthening the 3-MCPD standards in soy sauce.
2) Establishment of standards for amnesic shellfish toxins [Article 2]. 3. 5) (9) ③ Newly Established]
a) Enhancement of safety management against toxins derived from toxic plankton due to global warming is required.
b) Establishment of standards for amnesic shellfish toxins in shellfish and crustaceans.
c) Reinforcement of safety management for domestic and international food through establishment of standards of for amnesic shellfish toxins.
3) Amendment of heavy metal standards for candies [Article 5. 1.5) (14)]
a) Prevention of confusion of applicable heavy metal (lead) standards since there is no definition to distinguish sweets from jelly among candies, and there are various forms according to their main ingredients and manufacturing methods making it difficult to differentiate caramel from yanggaeng (red bean jelly) is required.
b) Expansion of application of lead standards and reinforcement of standards for all candies.
c) Reinforcement of safety management of heavy metals of children’s snacks, candies.
4) Establishment of new food types for processed products containing milk [[Article 5]. 18.]
a) Food types to classify products whose main ingredient are dairy products but whose content of dairy components does not meet the definition of processed dairy products is required.
b) Renaming of food groups from processed dairy products (유가공품) to dairy products types (유가공품류).
c) Establishment of specifications and standards reflecting the characteristics of types of processed products containing milk and products manufactured from milk as a main ingredient.
d) Elimination of blind spots in food safety management by applying specifications and standards that reflect the characteristics of products.
5) Amendment of MRLs of pesticide residues in agricultural Products [Table 4]
a) Revision of relevant standards is required in accordance with the application for the establishment of pesticide MRLs for imported agricultural products and the safety management of pesticides newly registered in the Pesticide Control Act.
b) Revision of 69 pesticide residue tolerance standards, including Glyphosatec) Provision of safe food to the public by reasonably revising the MRLs of pesticides residues in agricultural products.
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