On May 28, MFDS unveiled the attached list of Requirements of Livestock Products Imported form Designated Country or Region, which outlines the specific terms of imported livestock foods. The latest notice specified the processed foods newly allowed, they are : 1) the ham, sausage, bacon, dry meat, seasoned meat, processed food made from pork, and animal oil imported from Portugal; and 2) the table eggs, whole egg liquid, egg white liquid, egg yolk liquid, whole egg powder, egg white powder, egg yolk powder, heat-processed egg products, and preserved egg from Finland.

On May 27, Taiwan announced the exposure draft of “Evaluation Method of the Joint Healthcare Function for Health Food”, and any comments should be sent back within 60 days of the promulgation.

MFDS published the revision of the Health Functional Food Code on May 28. The amendments include: 1) The maximum limits of the functional ingredients concentration are removed; 2) The propolis extract is permitted to be used in products contacted with the mouth without the limitations of products types; 3) The precaution of saw palmetto fruit extract that is likely to mislead the consumers into believing the food is a drug, is deleted; 4) The chitooligosaccharide is added with a new function of reducing fat； 5) The test methods of ten materials like keto acid, cholesterol, etc. are optimized. 6) The terminologies and expressions hard to understand or not in line with the upstream regulations are revised

MFDS updated the Food Code and made it public on May 27. As per the latest version, MRLs of antimicrobials in agricultural, fishery, and honey products decreased from 0.03 mg/kg to 0.01 mg/kg. This regulation is to enhance the management of the abusive use of antimicrobials in food, which will be effective on January 1, 2022. Moreover, the MRL standards of 37 pesticides, including the Deltamethrin, Bifenthrin, etc. have been amended. The provisions of pesticides will come into force after August 1, 2020.

On May 27, Taiwan FDA announced the exposure draft of “Testing Method of Heavy Metal in Canned Food-Testing of Lead”, “Testing Method of Heavy Metal in Canned Food-Testing of Tin”, and “Testing Method of Heavy Metal in Cereal Products”. Any comments shall be sent back within 60 days since promulgation. Additionally the testing method of mercury, lead and cadmium in rice is proposed to be abolished.

On May 27, MFDS disclosed the “food labeling FAQ platform” on FoodSafetyKorea Website (foodsafetykorea.go.kr), which the FAQs about food products name, materials, nutrients, health functional food, etc. will be published on. ChemLinked will check the FAQs periodically and translate the valuable contents.

Starting from Jan. 1st, 2001, imported meat products must be attached with hygienic certificates accepted by Japanese authority. On May 25, 2020, MHLW announced that the hygienic certificate issued by Kazakhstan is now accepted, but it limited to horse meat.

On May 25, CFSA opened 7 new food additives for public feedback. There is one new variety of processing aids (nitrous oxide), one new variety of nutritional fortification substance (Vitamin K2 (Synthesis method)), four food additives with expanded scope (alginic acid, monascus color, citric acid, sucralose) and one processing aid with enlarged scope (sodium polyphosphate).

On May 20, MOPH issued No. 413 and No. 414 announcement, which will come into effect 180 days after promulgation. No. 413 announcement clarifies the revision to contaminant standard in food, which involves peanut oil, palm oil, chocolates, mineral drinks, tea, fats, honey, margarine and etc. No. 414 announcement abolishes the previous standard and stipulates the new contaminant standard in food, involving heavy metal contamination, mycotoxin contamination and radionuclide contamination. The analysis methods of contaminants are specified as well.

On May 25, 3 FSMP products were granted registration approval in China, including infant formula food for special medical purposes-lactoprotein partial hydrolysis (from Beingmate), FSMP completed nutrition formula powder (from Yabao Pharmaceutical) and infant formula food for special medical purposes-amino acid-based formulae (from Nestle).