South Korea announced on 22 Jul 2015 a series of amendments to “Food Standards and Specifications”. The main changes are summarized below:
1. Content Revision
Some confusing sentences have been clarified.
The definitions of cocoa solid, fat-free cocoa solid and milk solid have been newly introduced. The management of saline ground water comes under the regulatory remit of both the “Drinking Water Management Act” and “Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Environmental Policy”.
The unit of vitamin A has been standardized as “IU” or “µgRE”.
Considering the transitional period for royal jelly processed foods in capsule form has ended, the corresponding testing method for capsule form foods has been deleted.
2. Implementation of globally utilized microbiological standards
The amendment prioritizes the use of statistical analysis and other analytical methods in line with the standards and specifications used in CODEX, US and EU.
3. Secondary method (n, c, m) and three-stage method (n, c, m, M) should be implemented as the basis for microbiological standards and specification.
4. Revision of the iodine value standard in high-oleic sunflower oil
The iodine value standard in high-oleic sunflower oil will be brought in line with Codex standards.
5. The amendment of manufacture and processing standards of food for special use
Inert gases such as nitrogen with confirmed safety profiles can be applied as necessary for the improvement of product quality.
Either carbon dioxide or the mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen could be adopted as the packing gas for food for special use.
6. The category and specifications of alcoholic products have been established.
7. The revision of the content and testing method requirements.
8. The revision of general testing methods
Analysis methods for three pesticides including valifenalate have been either established or amended.
Testing methods for illegal pharmaceutical ingredients in food have been established.
9. Pesticide residue standards for 46 pesticides including valifenalate have been either established or amended.
10. Pesticide residue standard for metaflumizone in ginseng has been newly formed.
11. Definitions for 82 pesticide residues such as lindane in livestock products have been newly introduced. The standards of cyhexatin and azocyclotin should be unified into the standard of cyhexatin, and those of triadimefon and triadimenol should be unified into that of triadimenfon.
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