Functional ingredients of Korean health functional food (dietary supplement) consist of “noticed ingredients” and “individually recognized ingredients”. “Noticed ingredients” refer to the ingredients listed in the Health Functional Food Code1, including 28 nutrient ingredients and 68 functional raw materials. Enterprises can directly use these ingredients for manufacturing products. However, to produce or import health functional food with non-noticed ingredients, the entities must apply for a certificate for the efficacy and safety of the relevant functional materials. These materials with official certificates are “individually recognized ingredients”. Until now, MFDS has reviewed and published more than 200 kinds of individually recognized ingredients.
South Korea newly designated 23 individually recognized ingredients in the first half of 2022. ChemLinked compiled these ingredients for industry entities’ references.
English Name | Korean Name | Ingredient Efficacy | Daily Intake Amount | Recognition No. | Company or Institution: |
Extract complex of Lemon balm and Dandelion(LD100) | 레몬밤민들레추출복합물(LD100) | May help to protect liver | 500 mg/day | 2022-23 (2022.5.30.) | CNS PHARM KOREA CO.,LTD |
Extract complex of Lemon balm and Dandelion(LD100) | 레몬밤민들레추출복합물(LD100) | May help to protect liver | 500 mg/day | 2022-22 (2022.5.30.) | Phytonutrimedi |
Lactobacillus plantarum HAC01 Probiotics | Lactobacillus plantarum HAC01 프로바이오틱스 | May help to suppress the increase of blood glucose level after meals | 4 x 109 CFU/day | 2022-21 (2022.5.26.) | AtoGEN |
Weissella cibaria JW15 Probiotics | Weissella cibaria JW15 프로바이오틱스 | May help to improve immune function | 1 x 1010 CFU/day | 2022-20 (2022.5.24.) | National Institute of Agricultural Sciences |
Fermented L-glutamate GABA powder | L-글루탐산발효 가바분말 | May help to improve sleep quality | 375 mg/day | 2022-19 (2022.4.18.) | AMOREPACIFIC |
Ethanol extract powder of Diospyros kaki leaves | 감잎주정추출분말 | May help to maintain eyes healthy by relieving dryness | 600 mg/day | 2022-18 (2022.4.18.) | WhanInPharm |
Boswellia serrata Extract (SERRATRIN) | 보스웰리아추출물(SERRATRIN) | May help to maintain joint and cartilage health | 400 mg/day | 2022-17 (2022.4.18.) | Biovan |
Bacillus coagulans Unique IS-2 Probiotics | Bacillus coagulans Unique IS-2 프로바이오틱스 | May help to improve bowel movements | 2 x 109 CFU/day | 2022-16 (2022.4.18.) | Nutrione |
Mixture of L. plantarum CECT 7527, CECT 7528 and CECT 7529 | 유산균복합물(AB-LIFE®) | May help to reduce blood cholesterol levels | 1.2 x 109 CFU/day | 2022-15 (2022.2.25.) | SANOPI-AVENTIS KOREA |
Mixture of L. plantarum CECT 7527, CECT 7528 and CECT 7529 | 유산균복합물(AB-LIFE®) | May help to reduce blood cholesterol levels | 1.2 x 109 CFU/day | 2022-14 (2022.2.25.) | SUHEUNG |
Extract complex of Lemon verbena and Hibscus | 레몬버베나추출물 등 복합물 | May help to reduce body fat | 500 mg/day | 2022-13 (2022.2.24.) | NOVAWells |
Terminalia chebula Retzins Extract | 가자추출물(AyuFlex®) | May help to maintain joint and cartilage health | 500 mg/day | 2022-12 (2022.2.25.) | NUON |
Aster glehni extract powder | 섬쑥부쟁이추출분말 | May help to improve cognitive function affected by aging | 960 mg/day | 2022-11 (2022.2.14.) | KOREA EUNDAN |
Black raspberry extract powder | 블랙라즈베리 추출물 | May help to regulate blood pressure | 2,500 mg/day | 2022-10 (2022.2.7.) | BERRY & BIOFOOD RESEARCH INSTITUTE |
Black raspberry extract powder | 블랙라즈베리 추출물 | May help to regulate blood pressure | 2,500 mg/day | 2022-9 (2022.2.7.) | FOODPOLIS |
Fermented germinated soybean extract | 발아발효콩추출물 | May help to maintain female health in menopause | 1 g/day | 2022-8 (2022.2.7.) | HUBIO, Co., Hu. |
Adenophora triphylla var. Japonica Hara extract | 사삼추출물 | May help to reduce body fat | 750 mg/day | 2022-7 (2022.2.4.) | DONG IL Pharmtec Co., Ltd. |
Low molecular weight collagen peptide GT | 저분자콜라겐펩타이드GT | May help to moisturize (dry) skin; May help to maintain good skin health by protecting against damage from UV exposure | 2 g/day | 2022-6 (2022.1.28.) | GELTECH |
Low molecular weight collagen peptide SH | 저분자콜라겐펩타이드SH | May help to moisturize (dry) skin; May help to maintain good skin health by protecting against damage from UV exposure | 2 g/day | 2022-5 (2022.1.28.) | SUHEUNG |
Yellow rice with Aspergillus terreus(Aspergillus fermented MK01) | 황국(Aspergillus 발효물 MK01) | May help to reduce blood cholesterol levels | 700 mg/day | 2022-4 (2022.1.28.) | DAESANG |
Andrographis paniculata Wall. ex Nees Extract | 천심련추출물(ParActin®) | May help to maintain healthy joint | 300 mg/day | 2022-3 (2022.1.28.) | BL Healthcare Corp. |
Taheebo extract(Tabetri®) | 타히보 추출물(Tabetri®) | May help to maintain healthy joint and cartilage | 600 mg/day | 2022-2 (2022.1.28.) | COSMAX NBT |
Vaccinium uliginosum L. fruits extract powder | 들쭉열매추출분말 | May help to maintain skin health from skin damage by UV | 980 mg/day | 2022-1 (2022.2.3.) | CH Labs |
(*Copied from official text, Source from FoodSafetyKorea Portal2)
The efficacies of the individually recognized ingredients in H1 this year can be briefly compiled as below:
In the aspect of the ingredients’ efficacies, “joint health” accounts for the most in all the ingredients, followed by “blood cholesterol level decrease” and “skin health”. The key factor driving businesses to develop new health functional foods for the elderly is Korea's growing aging population. Among all the individually recognized ingredients' efficacies, 26% are significantly related to aging , including joint health, cognitive function improvement, and female health in menopause.
As for the ingredient type, aside from three probiotics, most individually recognized ingredients are the extracts of natural materials, such as Lemon balm extract, Diospyros kaki leaves extract, Black raspberry extract, etc. The natural-derived component is still a popular trend in Korea's health functional food market.
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