Korea to Implement Positive List for Food Raw Materials

On Oct. 15, 2015, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea (MFDS) announced amendments to “Food Standards and Specifications”, which will be open for public consultation until Dec. 14, 2015.

The management of food raw materials will be changed from individual approval to a positive list system. Currently, food raw materials in Korea can be divided into three categories, which are permitted raw materials, temporarily permitted raw materials and unpermitted raw materials. The first two categories will be combined to formulate the positive list for food raw materials, which will include 4,644 food raw materials that can be used in Korea. Food raw materials not included into the positive list require application and individual approval by MFDS before use in Korea.

The following information has also been revised in the new regulation:

• The specifications for sulfur dioxide in pickled foods have been deleted.

• The category of infant formula foods with low allergic reactivity has been newly added.

• Oak chip is allowed to be used in the manufacturing and processing of fruit wine.

• The maximum residue level of 82 types of pesticides in agricultural products have been newly established, as well as the residue level for two types of pesticides including dinotefuran in ginseng, and the residual level for the pesticide spinetoram in livestock.