Food Code is one of the most important regulations for the Korean food industry. It specifies the standards and specifications of each food category, regulates the maximum limits of pesticides, and details the food raw material lists. 

Content

Chapter1. General Provisions

1. General Principles

2. Application of Standards and Specifications

3. Explanations of Terms

4. Classification of Food Ingredients

Chapter 2. General Standards and Specifications

1. Standards for Food Ingredients

• Requirements for Ingredients, etc.

• Standards for Determining Food Ingredients

2. Manufacturing and Processing Standards

3. Standards and Specifications for General Foods

• Properties and Conditions

• Foreign Matters

• Food Additives

• Hygiene Indicator Bacteria and Foodborne Pathogens

• Contaminants

• Food Irradiation Standard

• Maximum Residual Limits for Pesticides

• Maximum Residual Limits for Veterinary Drugs

• Maximum Residual Limits for residual substances in Livestock and Fishery Products

• Illegal Compounds

• δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol Limit

• Urushinol Component Limit

• Grayanotoxin III Limit

• Specifications for Edible Meat

• Specifications for Raw Milk

• Specifications for Fishery Products

• Capsules Used in Manufacturing/Processing Foods

4. Preservation and Distribution Standards

• General Standard

• Preservation and Distribution Temperature

• Preservation and Distribution Method

• Establishment of the Distribution Period

Chapter 3. Standards and Specifications of Food for Infants and Young Children

1. Foods Labelled and Sold as Those Intended for Infants/Young Children

2. Foods Labelled and Sold as Those Intended for Elderly

Chapter 4. Standards and Specifications of Long-preserved food

1. Canned/Bottled Foods

2. Retort Foods

3. Frozen Foods

Chapter 5. Standards and Specifications for Each Food Category

1. Confectioneries, Breads or Rice Cakes

2. Frozen Confectioneries

• 2-1 Ice Creams (*Livestock products)

• 2-2 Ice Cream Mixes (*Livestock products)

• 2-3 Frozen Confectionery Products

• 2-4 Ices

3. Cocoa Products or Chocolates

• 3-1 Processed Cocoa Products

• 3-2 Chocolates

4. Saccharides

4-1 Sugars

• 4-2 Sugar Syrups

• 4-3 Oligosaccharides

• 4-4 Glucose

• 4-5 Fructose

• 4-6 Taffies (Yeot)

• 4-7 Processed Saccharide Product

5. Jams

6. Soybean Curds or Muk (Starch Jellies)

7. Edible Fats and Oils

• 7-1 Vegetables Fats and Oils

• 7-2 Animal Fats and Oils(*Livestock products, excluding Fish oil and other animal fats and oils)

• 7-3 Processed Edible Fat and Oil Products

8. Noodles

9. Beverages

• 9-1 Teas

• 9-2 Coffee

• 9-3 Fruit/Vegetable Beverages

• 9-4 Carbonated Beverages

• 9-5 Soy Milks

• 9-6 Fermented Beverages

• 9-7 Ginseng/Red Ginseng Beverages

• 9-8 Other Beverages

10. Special Nutritional Foods

• 10-1 Infant Milk Formulas

• 10-2 Prepared Formula Products (non-dairy-protein-based infant formulas)

• 10-3 Complementary foods for infants and young children

• 10-4 Weight Control Formulas

• 10-5 Foods for Pregnant/Lactating Women

• 10-6 Nutritional Formulas for the Elderly

11. Foods for Special Medical Purposes

• 11-1 Standard Nutritional Formulas

• 11-2 Customized Nutritional Formulas

• 11-3 Meal type dietary management foods for patients

12. Soy Sauces and Pastes

13. Seasoning Foods

• 13-1 Vinegars

• 13-2 Sauces

• 13-3 Curries

• 13-4 Hot Pepper Powder or Shredded Hot Pepper

• 13-5 Spice Products

• 13-6 Edible Salts

14. Pickled Foods or Boiled Foods

• 14-1 Kimchi Products

• 14-2 Picked Food Products

• 14-3 Boiled Foods

15. Alcoholic Beverages

• 15-1 Fermented Alcoholic Beverages

• 15-2 Distilled Alcoholic Beverages

• 15-3 Other Alcoholic Beverages

• 15-4 Spirits

16. Processed Agricultural Foods

• 16-1 Starch Products

• 16-2 Wheat Flour Products

• 16-3 Processed Peanut or Nut Products

• 16-4 Cereals

• 16-5 Parboiled Rice

• 16-6 Enzyme Food

• 16-7 Other Processed Agricultural Products

17. Processed Meat Products and Packaged Meats

• 17-1 Hams (*Livestock products)

• 17-2 Sausages (*Livestock products)

• 17-3 Bacons (*Livestock products)

• 17-4 Dry Stored Meats (*Livestock products)

• 17-5 Seasoned Meats (*Livestock products)

• 17-6 Meat Extract Product (*Livestock products)

• 17-7 Meat Meal Kit (*Livestock products)

• 17-8 Processed Product Containing Meat

• 17-8 Packaged Meat (*Livestock products)

18. Egg Products

• 18-1 Egg Product (*Livestock products)

• 18-2 Processed Product Containing Egg

19. Milk Products/Dariy Products

• 19-1 Milks (*Livestock products)

• 19-2 Processed Milks (*Livestock products)

• 19-3 Goat Milks (*Livestock products)

• 19-4 Fermented Milks (*Livestock products)

• 19-5 Butter Milk (*Livestock products)

• 19-6 Concentrated Milks (*Livestock products)

• 19-7 Milk Creams (*Livestock products)

• 19-8 Butters (*Livestock products)

• 19-9 Cheeses (*Livestock products)

• 19-10 Powdered Milks (*Livestock products)

• 19-11 Wheys (*Livestock products)

• 19-12 Lactose (*Livestock products)

• 19-13 Hydrolyzed Milk Protein Products (*Livestock products)

• 19-14 Processed product containing milk

20. Processed Fishery Foods

• 20-1 Processed Fish Meat Products

• 20-2 Salted and Fermented Seafood Products

• 20-3 Dried Fish/Shellfish Fillet Products

• 20-4 Seasoned Laver

• 20-5 Agar

• 20-6 Other Processed Fishery Products

21. Processed Animal Food Products

• 21-1 Other Meat or Other Egg Products

• 21-2 Insect Products

• 21-3 Soft-shelled Turtle Products

• 21-4 Processed Extract Product

22. Honey and Pollen Products

• 22-1 Honeys

• 22-2 Royal Jellies

• 22-3 Processed Pollen Foods

23. Prepared Meals

• 23-1 Raw Foods

• 23-2 Ready-to-Eat/Convenience Foods

• 23-3 Dumplings

24. Other Foods

• 24-1 Yeast Foods

• 24-2 Other Processed Products

Chapter 6. Food Cooking Standards and Specifications of Restaurants, etc.

1. Definition

2. Application of standards and specifications

3. Ingredient Standards

4. Food Preparation and Management Standards

5. Specifications

6. Test Methods

Chapter 7. Sampling Method

1. Significance of Sampling

2. Definitions of Terms

3. General Principles of Sampling

4. Sampling and Handling Tips

5. Sampling Instruments and Containers

6. Individual Sampling and Handling Methods

Chapter 8. Testing Method

Chapter 9. Re-examination Period

Attached Tables:

Attached Table 1 Permitted Raw Materials

Attached Table 2 Limited Raw Materials

Attached Table 3 Raw Materials with Temporary Standards and Specifications

Attached Table 4 Maximum Residual Limits for Pesticides in Foods

Attached Table 5 Maximum Residual Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Foods

Attached Table 6 Substances in Food Exempted from MRL Requirements