South Korea Revises Food Code: FSMP and Pesticide Residue

The standards and specifications for “nutritional supplements for patients with respiratory diseases” are established. The criteria for the use of Garcinia Cambogia extract in food is revised. The residue tolerance standards for four pesticides are modified.

On July 10, 2024, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) disclosed the latest version of Food Code¹. The authority mainly introduced a new food product form and revised the pesticide residue standards. Key points are as below:

1. Nutritional Supplements for Patients with Respiratory Diseases

MFDS introduced a new type of Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP), named “nutritional supplements for patients with respiratory diseases (폐질환자용 영양조제식품)”. The standards and specifications for the new FSMP are inserted into the Food Code. This modification is expected to standardize the product for patients and provide patients with various food choices.

New FSMP

Manufacturing Standards

The “nutritional supplements for patients with respiratory diseases” is product manufactured and processed by combining and concentrating nutrients to provide appropriate nutrition for adult patients who have experienced a decline in food intake due to impaired lung function.

Calories derived from protein: 18~25% of the total calories
Calories derived from carbohydrates: less than 40% of the total calories
Calories derived from fats: over 40% of the total calories
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT): 20~25% of the total fat
Omega-3 fatty acids: the total amount of EPA and DHA fatty acids shall be over 250mg per 1,000 kcal of the product
Vitamin D: 7.5~50 ug per 1,000 kcal of the product
Caloric value: 1.5~2.0 kcal per 1ml(g) of the product (for products mixed with water, etc., the mixing method provided by the manufacturer shall be applied)

2. Usage Standards (effective on January 1, 2025)

The criteria for using Garcinia Cambogia extract in food is changed from “less than 5%, not exceeding a consumption amount of 6g” to “less than 2%, not exceeding a consumption amount of 2.5g”, following the updates in Health Functional Food Code.

3. Pesticide Residue (effective on October 1, 2024)

The requirements for four pesticide residues are modified following the reexamination results. In detail, three pesticides are deleted from the Allowable Pesticide Residual Limits for Foods, namely, Molinate (몰리네이트), Silafluofen (실라플루오펜), and Flufenacet (플루페나셋). Besides, the residual limit for Edifenphos (에디펜포스) in rice is deleted.