MFDS Recalls Foods Containing Mastic Gum Powder

Mastic and its powder cannot be used as a food ingredient in South Korea but can be used as a natural flavor. Health functional foods that use mastic powder as a food ingredient shall apply to MFDS for safety and function approval.

As revealed by an MFDS report issued on September 19th, 2019, South Korea is recalling 16 food products produced at home and abroad. All these non-compliant food products have used “mastic gum powder” as a food ingredient.

Mastic is a natural resin or sap derived from the mastic tree (scientific name: Pistacia lentiscus L). Both the resin and its powder are not allowed to be used as a food ingredient in South Korea.

Product recall

4 products imported from 3 enterprises in Greece and America.
12 products produced by 10 domestic manufacturers that use imported mastic powder as an ingredient. (View the report for the full non-compliant product list)

Products exempt from the recall (Compliance in South Korea)

Health functional foods containing mastic powder as an ingredient that have already successfully received an MFDS safety and function approval (intake amount: 1050mg/1 day)
Food additive (natural flavor) produced from mastic through extraction or distillation; and products which use this ingredient as a flavor.