Updates:
The amendments proposed in MFDS Notification No. 2022-172 is officially added in the Food Additive Code on August 10, 2022. More details: South Korea Revises Food Additive Code: MFDS Notification No. 2022-55.
The amendments proposed in MFDS Notification No. 2022-171 is officially added in the Food Additive Code on October 28, 2022. More details: South Korea Revises Food Additive Code
On April 13, 2022, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) released two notifications, MFDS Notification No. 2022-1711 and MFDS Notification No. 2022-1722, to solicit public opinions on the amendments to Food Additive Code. The proposed changes focus on the use limit of Nicotinic Acid, new additives for manufacturing various types of dietary supplements, amino acids applicable for infant foods, and new components of Steviol Glycoside, etc. Suggestions are welcome before June 12, 2022.
Main Proposals:
1. Specifying the use Limit of Nicotinic Acid (MFDS Notification No. 2022-171)
In the proposed version, Nicotinic Acid is limited to be used in "Special Nutritional Foods, Foods for Special Medical Purposes, Health Functional Foods, and Nutrition-enriched Wheat Flour”. Currently, it is specified that Nicotinic Acid should not be used in "Meat" and "Fish and Shellfish".
Notes
According to the MFDS, for the products excluded from the applicable scope for using Nicotinic Acid, enterprises can use Nicotinamide as an alternative. Nicotinamide has the same effect as Nicotinic Acid, whereas it causes no side effects when being added to foods.
2. Adding a New Additive for Manufacturing Enteric-Coated Dietary Supplements (MFDS Notification No. 2022-172)
Hydroxypropylmethyl Cellulose Phthalate (프탈산히드록시프로필메틸셀룰로스) is proposed to be used for manufacturing enteric-coated capsules, granules, and tablets of Health Functional Foods. Its specification is drafted as well.
3. Permitting Calcium Silicate for Health Functional Food Manufacture (MFDS Notification No. 2022-172)
Due to Calcium Silicate’s high water absorption property, it is proposed for being used in manufacturing tablet- or capsule-formed Health Functional Foods, especially for those using liquid raw materials such as EPA/DHA oil.
4. Amending Amino Acids Used in Infant and Young Child Foods (MFDS Notification No. 2022-172)
To align with international standards, 11 kinds of Amino Acids are newly permitted for manufacturing Special Formulas for Infants and Young Children:
Amino Acids (Present) | Amino Acids (Proposed additives, marked in red) |
L-Leucine L-Methionine L-Valine L-Cystine L-Arginine L-Isoleucine L-Threonine L-Tryptophan L-Tyrosine L-Phenylalanine L-Histidine
| L-Glutamine L-Glutamic Acid L-Glycine L-Lysine L-Lysine Monohydrochloride L-Leucine L-Methionine L-Valine L-Serine L-Cysteine Monohydrochloride L-Cystine L-Arginine L-Aspartic Acid L-Alanine L-Isoleucine L-Threonine L-Tryptophan L-Tyrosine L-Phenylalanine L-Proline L-Histidine L-Histidine Monohydrochloride |
5. Adding For New Compounds of Steviol Glycoside (MFDS Notification No. 2022-172)
To increase the sweet taste of Steviol Glycoside, a food additive serving as asweetening agent, the authority is to permit four new components of Steviol Glycoside, namely Rebaudioside E, Rebaudioside O, Rebaudioside N, andRebaudioside M.
6. Amending the Main Use Purposes of 24 Additives (MFDS Notification No. 2022-172)
(1) The major usage purposes of 18 additives are amended as per the latest international standards:
Additives | Proposed amendments for usage purposes |
Guar Gum（구아검） | Newly adding: Emulsifier |
Diacetyltartaric and Fatty Acid Esters of Glycerol（글리세린디아세틸주석산지방산에스테르） | Newly adding: Stabilizer |
Glycerin Esters of Fatty Acids (글리세린지방산에스테르) | Newly adding: Stabilizer |
Lecithin (레시틴) | Newly adding: Antioxidant |
Locust Bean Gum (로커스트콩검) | Newly adding: Emulsifier |
Methyl ethyl cellulose (메틸에틸셀룰로스) | Newly adding: Emulsifier |
Food Starch Modified (변성전분) | Newly adding: Emulsifier |
Vitamin C (비타민C) | Newly adding: Acidity regulator |
Glacial Acetic Acid (빙초산) | Newly adding: Preservative Flavoring agent |
Arabic Gum (아라비아검) | Newly adding: Emulsifier Coating agent |
DL-Alanine (DL-알리닌) | Newly adding: Flavoring agent |
Potassium Lactate (젖산칼륨) | Newly adding: Humectant |
Acetic Acid (초산) | Newly adding: Flavoring agent |
Calcium Acetate (초산칼슘) | Newly adding: Preservative Stabilizer |
Carnauba Wax (카나우바왁스) | Newly adding: Coating agent |
Karaya Gum (카라야검) | Newly adding: Emulsifier |
Calcium Carbonate (탄산칼슘) | Newly adding: Colorant |
Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids (폴리글리세린지방산에스테르) | Newly adding: Stabilizer |
(2) The major usage purposes of 6 additives are modified to be consistent with the definition.
Additives | Proposed amendments for usage purposes |
Glucono-δ-Lactone (글루코노-δ-락톤) | Tofu Firming agent -> Coagulant |
Magnesium Chloride (염화마그네슘) | Tofu Firming agent -> Coagulant |
Calcium Chloride (염화칼슘) | Tofu Firming agent -> Coagulant |
Crude Magnesium Chloride(Sea Water) (조제해수염화마그네슘) | Tofu Firming agent -> Coagulant |
Magnesium sulfate (황산마그네슘), | Tofu Firming agent -> Coagulant |
Calcium Sulfate (황산칼슘) | Tofu Firming agent -> Coagulant |
7. Other Proposed Amendments
Modifications related to food categories are adopted in Food Additive Code3 following the changes of “Food for Special Medical Use”, “Products with Milk”, and “Special Formulas for Infants and Young Children” in Food Code4.
Test methods of nine food additives are optimized.
Twenty-two substances used for disinfecting utensils are deleted.
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