Korean Food Industry Regulatory Reform: Focus on Pesticide Residues

The Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has announced plans for regulatory reforms relating to permissible pesticides and relative residue levels present in foods. In a Ministry announcement on June 13th 2013, details of the reform were outlined and later notified to the WTO in a comprehensive 258 page document (WTO NOTIFICATION G/SPS/N/KOR/447). The regulation is currently in its draft stage and subject to a public consultation ending on the 12th of August 2013. The maximum residue limits historically adopted in Korea have drawn heavily from more developed global regulatory frameworks. The necessity to tailor the limits to meet the unique demands of the Korean Food Safety environment is the primary reason behind the announcement.

The primary focal points of the reform will be:

• Maximum residue limits for both new and existing agrochemicals will be developed and reformed. Important pesticide for review will be pyrimethanil and mycolbutanil.

• MRLs for Nonagricultural products will also be developed (Ginseng etc.)

• Certain pesticides will be exempted from being assigned MRLs including 1-methylcyclopropene and decylalcohol.I

• Improve current analytical techniques and develop new procedures.

• Revise the analysis methods for residue limits associated with the pharmaceutical compounds(Acetaminotadalafil, methylhydroxyhomosildenafil  common analogues of erectile dysfunction medication)

• Refine the definition, regulatory scope and characterization of pesticides and their resultant residues, more appropriately classify and define the 432 most common pesticides.