To enhance the safety of imported food and reinforce the responsibility of importers, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) may order an importer to undergo inspection by a designated inspection agency if the imported food falls under any of the following categories, as outlined in Article 22 of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control. Importers may only proceed with the import declaration after passing the inspection.
Imported food products containing hazardous substances as determined by the MFDS
Imported food products that repeatedly show non-compliance as a result of import inspection
Other imported foods that pose a risk of harm domestically or internationally
An inspection order typically remains in effect for a specified duration. Before the inspection order period ends, the MFDS will review and analyze the inspection results. Based on the occurrence of nonconformities, the MFDS may lift, partially lift, or redesignate the inspection order. More details about compliance with inspection orders can be referenced in the Regulations on Inspection Orders for Imported Foods.
In this article, ChemLinked updates the current status of imported foods subject to inspection orders. Stakeholders are advised to pay close attention to inspection orders to ensure compliance during inspections.
Updates on April 9, 2025
The MFDS announced the redesignation of certain imported foods to the inspection order due to repeated occurrences of non-compliance. The details are highlighted in red.
Period | Imported Foods | Exporting Country | Inspection Items |
2016.02.29 ~ 2026.02.28 | Natural spice (powder products) | India | Metallic foreign bodies |
2018.10.22 ~ 2025.10.21 | Berry (blueberry, lingonberry, bilberry), and jam and processed fruit products manufactured with the above berries | Poland, France, Italy, Germany, Finland, Austria, Sweden | Radioactivity (Iodine, Cesium) |
2019.04.23 ~ 2026.04.22 | Sarcodon aspratus mushroom | Russia, Ukraine | Radioactivity (Iodine, Cesium) |
2020.06.25 ~ 2025.06.24 | Basil (leaf) | Thailand | Pesticides (Dimetomorph) |
2020.10.22 ~ 2025.10.21 | Powder natural spice | China (2 manufacturers) | Metallic foreign bodies |
2021.03.31 ~ 2026.03.30 | Tuna (fishery products to be eaten raw) | Japan (exporting country) | Salmonella |
2021.10.22 ~ 2025.10.21 | Snack foods (limited to sealed products, except for fermented products or products containing lactic acid bacteria) | India (4 manufacturers) | Bacteria number |
2022.03.31 ~ 2026.03.30 | Other Salt | Pakistan | Insoluble powder |
2022.06.27 ~ 2025.06.26 | Frozen confectioneries | Thailand (2 manufacturers) | Coliform |
2022.09.30 ~ 2025.09.29 | Health Functional Food using Probiotics as functional ingredients | U.S., Canada (2 manufacturers) | Probiotics number |
2022.12.24 ~ 2025.12.23 | Dried wood ears (Fruiting body) | China | Pesticide (Carbendazim) |
2023.03.31 ~ 2026.03.30 | Chilli peppers (fruits) | Vietnam | Pesticides (Diniconazole, Tolfenpyrad, Tricyclazole, Permetrin, Dimethoate, Isoprothiolane, Metominostrobin, Monocrotophos) |
2023.06.30 ~ 2025.6.29 | Solid tea | China | Pesticides (Pyridaben, Dinotefuran, Othophenylphenol, Prochloraz) |
2023.09.27 ~ 2025.09.26 | Snack foods (limited to foods processed with oil treatement) | Indonesia (3 manufacturers) | Acid value |
2024.03.29 ~ 2026.03.28 | Processed vegetables (unsterilized product) | China (2 manufacturers) | Coliform |
2024.06.28 ~ 2025.6.27 | Bread | China (7 manufacturers) | Preservatives |
2024.09.30 ~ 2025.09.29. | Pickles (excluding products that have been sealed and subjected to heat sterilization or pasteurization) | Vietnam (7 manufacturers) | Tar colorants |
2024.12.30 ~ 2025.12.29 | Frozen yellow croaker | China | Ethoxyquin |
2025.3.31 ~ 2026.3.30 | Reishi Mushroom | China | Pesticides (Malathion, Cypermethrin, Cyhalothrin, Acetamiprid, Acetochlor, Imidacloprid, Iprodione, Carbendazim, Chlorfenapyr, Chlorpyrifos, Triazophos, Trifloxystrobin, Fenpropathrin, Phorate, Prochloraz) |
Data source
MFDS Announcement (2022.9.30) , MFDS Announcement (2022.10.7), MFDS Announcement (2022.11.3), MFDS Announcement (2022.12.5), MFDS Announcement (2022.12.12), MFDS Announcement (2023.2.9), MFDS Announcement (2023.3.3), MFDS Announcement (2023.3.14), MFDS Announcement(2023.4.7) , MFDS Announcement (2023.6.20), MFDS Announcement (2023.6.28), MFDS Announcement (2023.8.30), MFDS Announcement (2023.9.20), MFDS Announcement, MFDS Announcement, MFDS Announcement, MFDS Announcement (2023. 12. 11), MFDS Announcement (2024.2.20), MFDS Announcement (2024. 3.13), MFDS Announcement (2024.4.12), MFDS Announcement (2024.6.13) (2024.6.13), MFDS Announcement (2024.9.12), MFDS Announcement (2024.10.15), MFDS Announcement (2024.12.16), MFDS Announcement (2025.02.12), MFDS Announcement (2025.03.21), MFDS Announcement (2025.04.09)