Korea Revises the Usage Standard for Infant Formula Food Additives

On Nov. 1, 2018, Korea MFDS announced the revision to “Food Additive Code”, which mainly involves the following 4 items.

New rules are set to identify the natural source of food additives.
The standard and specification of peracetic acid is added, it can now be used as a food sterilizing agent
The acidity standard for “qu” (mold produced through fermentation, including yeast, koji and etc.) was removed. These reduced requirements have widened the scope of strains that can now be used
The maximum usage level of 14 food additives used in infant formula are set to ensure the product safety and align with international standards. The following table shows the detail:

S/N	Food additive	Maximum dosage
1	Guar Gum	< 2g/kg (less than 10g/kg for infants and young children cereal formula)
2	Glycerin Esters of Fatty Acids	< 9g/kg
3	Lecithin	< 5g/kg (less than 15g/kg for infants and young children cereal formula)
4	Locust Bean Gum	< 2g/kg (less than 10g/kg for infants and young children cereal formula)
5	Vanillin	< 0.05g/kg (less than 0.07g/kg for other infant and young children formula food)
6	Food Starch Modified	< 5g/kg (less than 60g/kg for infants and young children cereal formula, lactoprotein-allergy infant formula food and other infant and young children formula food)
7	Arabic Gum	< 2g/kg (less than 10g/kg for infants and young children cereal formula)
8	Calcium L-Ascorbate	< 0.2g/kg
9	L-Ascorbyl Palmitate	< 0.05g/kg (less than 0.2g/kg for infants and young children cereal formula, and other infant and young children formula food)
10	Ethyl Vanillin	< 0.05g/kg (less than 0.07g/kg for other infant and young children formula food)
11	Lactic Acid	< 2g/kg
12	Carrageenan	< 1g/kg
13	d-Tocopherol concentrate, Mixed	< 0.03g/kg
14	Pectin	< 10g/kg