MFDS inspected on the improper advertisements of collagen foods sold online. Health functional collagen foods can be purported to keep skin elastic and hydrated in South Korea. Whereas the general collagen food is prohibited from advertising with skin elasticity effect. 416 cases were found illegal. The relevant websites were closed.

MFDS unveiled the latest version of Enforcement Decree of the Health Functional Foods Act on June 2, 2020. As stipulated in the amendments, the information about the results of investigation and analysis of health functional food safety shall be published within seven days when the relevant inspection ends. Besides, MFDS designated the “Korea Food Safety Information Service Agency” to investigate and analyze risk health functional food. The standards of qualifications for Quality Control Managers are relaxed ultimately. The amendments will come into force on June 4.

The revised Enforcement Rule of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control was promulgated on June 3 and will enact on June 4, 2020. The latest version specified that the information about the suspension of import from an improper foreign food facility should be disclosed on the official website of MFDS for more than three months. This information exposure requirement applies to the revoking of the import suspension as well.

On May 29, 2020, SAMR approves three mandatory standards related to feed additives. They are "GB 7300.103-2020 Feed Additive Part 1: Amino Acid, Their Salts and Analogues Methionine Hydroxy-analog," "GB 7300.203-2020 Feed Additive Part 2: Vitamins, Provitamins and Chemically Well-defined Substances Having Similar Effect—Betaine" and “GB 7300.601-2020.Non-protein Nitrogen—Urea.” All of the three standards above will come into effect on December 1, 2020.

As revealed by the notice released on June 1, 2020, countries/regions wishing to export chilled poultry to Singapore must first be accredited for frozen poultry, and must also have a track record of exports of frozen poultry to Singapore, as the export track record serves as a measure of the standard of the country’s poultry industry and regulatory oversight. Furthermore, SFA also raised further requirements of chilled poultry. Click the link for more info.

In two separate orders, Agriculture Secretary William Dar has decided to approve the application of the two countries to export meat products to the Philippines. Brazil will export more pork, beef and poultry meat while Chile will ship out pork and poultry. For Brazil, 24 foreign meat establishments were accredited, while Chile has six.

On May 28, 2020, Malaysia promulgated the Food Regulations (Amendment) 2020, which mainly specified new requirements of "Dealcoholised alcoholic beverage."

MFDS issued two drafts of Enforcement Rule of Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods on June 1, 2020. (a) MFDS Notice No.2020-204 is to include rice cakes, processed sugar products, tofu, and curd products in foods subject to nutrition labeling. (b) MFDS Notice No.2020-205 is to add the general foods with health functions as foods to undergo the self-review. The administrative penalty of improper labels is to be reinforced. The draft of No.205 also stipulated the health functional foods to provide the labeling information via the bar code. The Korean Labels of imported food for R&D purposes can be omitted according to the proposed draft. The consultation periods of the two drafts are both set to end on July 13, 2020.

MOE published the draft of Standards of Exemption of Repackaging on May 25 to solicit public comments. The consultation is set to end on June 5. This draft specified the cases of repackaging exemptions to align with its superordinate regulation of Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources. The detailed scope of products' repackaging is outlined along.

According to the MOARA notice released on May 29, 2020, China approved the registration of 137 imported pet foods, 78 products of which are dog food and 59 products are for cats.