As Korean culture has spread around the world, exports of Korean foods rose significantly. From 2017 to 2021, the average annual export growth rate of Korean Wave products was 13.7%, which was about 2.5 times higher than that of the entire country during the same period. By sector, Korean processed foods had a growth rate of 7.8%. Apart from the K-wave, Korean food’s innovation is another key point that made it popular worldwide.
During July 28 to August 1, China’s Shandong Provincial Department of Commerce and Korean General Consulate jointly held the 3rd annual Import Commodity Fair – KSICF1, where a large number of officials gathered and innovative products exhibited
KSICF showcased various kinds of health foods, amongst which probiotics products were the most sought-after, including probiotic coffee, probiotic vitamins, and food supplements with new probiotic strains. General food with health claims was also displayed at the fair, along with infant food, ginseng chips, and other innovative products.
1. Probiotics product
An official of Korean Jeollanamdo Province2 introduced a new probiotics product made of K-Clostridium Butyricum (K-낙산균)3, a patented Clostridium butyricum strain enhances immunity and has antiviral activity. K-Clostridium Butyricum can help to break down polysaccharides in the colon to produce butyric acid, which supplies energy to the intestines, activates intestinal peristalsis, and prevents constipation and diarrhea. It can also help increase the productionof immune factor cytokines (interferon-beta, TNF-a, IL-6) rapidly due to the butyric acid, resulting in excellent antiviral and immune-enhancing effects. In addition, K-Clostridium Butyricum can promote the growth of other probiotic bacteria.
(Figure 1. K-Clostridium Butyricum probiotics product)
Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME)4 brought a special product made by Chong Kun Dang (CKD)5, a famous Korean pharmaceutical company with over 80 years. The probiotics vitamin product enables live bacteria to reach the intestines and can be stored at room temperature. It is composed of Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium animalis lactis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Enterococcus pseudomonas, so that different strains can perform immunity functions in stomach, small intestine and large intestine separately. It also contains prebiotics, and postbiotics to maximum the product’s efficacy.
(Figure 2-1. Probiotics vitamin displayed in the fair)
(Figure 2-2. LactoFit Product Picture)
Another innovative product is probiotic coffee from MyDays6. In this product, probiotics are mixed into instant coffee, reducing the irritation of coffee on the stomach and allowing coffee-sensitive people to enjoy the coffee’s delicious taste. In addition, this product uses plant-based probiotics, providing a choice for vegetarians.
(Figure 3. Probiotic coffee)
ChemLinked Notes
Probiotics is a functional ingredient noticed by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). According to the Health Functional Food Code, the probiotics counts shall be over 100,000,000 CFU/g. Learn more about health functional food (food supplement) at ChemLinked FoodPedia7.
2. General food with health claim
South Korea permitted the labeling of general food with "function claims8" at the end of 2020, opening more opportunities to the food industry. At KSICF, bottle tea with function claims is also showcased this time.
The peanut bud tea from Jeju9 Wooyoung E&T company, is claimed to be beneficial in relieving hangovers, recovering from fatigue, and preventing skin aging, as it contains the nondigestible maltodextrin (NDM, a functional material).
(Figure 4. Peanut bud tea with function claims)
3. Other innovative products
The Korean Geumsan Ginseng & Herb Development Agency (GGHDA)10 brought several ginseng products to the fair. This Korean specialty is made into various new products, such as ginseng crisps with a texture similar to potato chips, popcorn with ginseng flavor, and chocolate crunch added with black ginseng, giving traditional health foods a trendy and youthful twist.
(Gigure 5-1. Ginseng flavored popcorn and ginseng crisps)
(Figure 5-2. Chocolate crunch added with black ginseng)
Products with good ideas shown in the fair also include organic rice cakes for infants and portable liquid coffee from Gwangju Metropolitan City11, freeze-dry Kimchi from Busan Metropolitan City12, and colorful food extract for children from Incheon Metropolitan City13.
(Figure 6-1. Organic rice cakes for infants)
(Figure 6-2. Portable liquid coffee)
(Figure 6-3. Freeze-dry Kimchi)
(Figure 6-4. Colorful food extract)
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