Korea to Revise Important Food Standards

On Feb. 3, 2015, the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced it is to revise a number of important food standards and specifications. The main changes include:

• The stem of Artemisia annua L. is approved as the food raw material.

• THC residue concentration has been set for hemp seed and hemp seed oil.

• Young deer antler and Hippocampus sp. have been approved as food raw materials with limited usage.

• The sugar content of 100% pure juice will be more clearly defined to distinguish 100% pure juice from other kinds of fruit and vegetable beverages. The standard will not be applicable to the raw materials used in juices and beverages. General principles for identifying the sugar content of 100% pure juice as well as other specifications will be established to avoid any misunderstanding.

• It is stipulated in Ginseng Industry Law that hydroponic ginseng should be harvested after being cultivated for 1 to 1.6 years, and the whole ginseng or radix ginseng rubra used as raw materials should be cultivated for more than 3 years.

• The testing methods for phosphorus and globefish toxin in foods have been revised. The testing methods for tetrahydrocannabinol, canned foods, and frozen aquatic products have been newly established.