South Korea Updates Food Code

On May 17, 2024, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) released the latest revisions to Food Code¹. The modifications involve product standards and residual limits for pesticides and veterinary drugs. Details are as follows:

1. Revision of Residual Limits for Pesticides and Veterinary Drugs in Food

The maximum residue limits are newly established and revised for 57 pesticides. Relevant substances are as below:

(1)가스가마이신(Kasugamycin), (41) 루페뉴론(Lufenuron), (45) 마이클로뷰타닐(Myclobutani), (61) 메탈락실(Metalaxyl), (64) 메톡시페노자이드(Methoxyfenozide), (65) 메톨라클로르(Metolachlor), (69) 메트코나졸(Metconazole), (76) 메펜트리플루코나졸 (Mefentrifluconazole), (84) 발리다마이신에이(Validamycin A), (99) 뷰타클로르(Butachlor), (111) 비펜트린린(Bifenthrin), (115) 사이로마진(Cyromazine), (118) 사이안트라닐리프롤(Cyantraniliprole), (120) 사이클라닐리프롤(Cyclaniliprole), (125) 사이프로코나졸(Cyproconazole), (137) 스트렙토마이신(Streptomycin), (138) 스피네토람(Spinetoram), (143) 스피로피디온(Spiropidion), (153) 아미트라즈(Amitraz), (154) 아바멕틴(Abamectin), (157) 아세타미프리드(Acetamiprid), (160) 아시벤졸라-에스-메틸(Acibenzolar-S-methyl), (166) 아이소프로티올레인(Isoprothiolane), (170) 아족시스트로빈(Azoxystrobin), (172) 아크리나트린(Acrinathrin), (181) 에타복삼(Ethaboxam), (225) 이버멕틴(Ivermectin), (236) 인독사카브(Indoxacarb), (242) 카벤다짐(Carbendazim), (244) 카보퓨란(Carbofuran), (246) 카탑(Cartap), (250) 캡탄(Captan), (259) 클로란트라닐리프롤(Chlorantraniliprole), (263) 클로르페나피르(Chlorfenapyr), (266) 클로르플루아주론(Chlorfluazuron), (270) 클로티아니딘(Clothianidin), (271) 클로펜테진(Clofentezine), (278) 테부플로퀸(Tebufloquin), (294) 트리아디메폰(Triadimefon), (301) 트리플록시스트로빈(Trifloxystrobin), (306) 트리플루미졸(Triflumizole), (363) 폭심(Phoxim), (369) 프로클로라즈(Prochloraz), (372) 프로파모카브(Propamocarb), (379) 프로피코나졸(Propiconazole), (384) 플로릴피콕사미드(Florylpicoxamid), (386) 플루디옥소닐(Fludioxonil), (394) 플루아자인돌리진(Fluazaindolizine), (398) 플루오피람(Fluopyram), (408) 플루페녹수론(Flufenoxuron), (409) 플루피라디퓨론(Flupyradifurone), (419) 피라클로스트로빈(Pyraclostrobin), (422) 피리다벤(Pyridaben), (435) 피메트로진(Pymetrozine), (436) 피카뷰트라족스((Picarbutrazox), (437) 피콕시스트로빈(Picarbutrazox), (440) 피플루뷰마이드(Pyflubumide).

In addition, the residue limits for 11 veterinary drugs in foods are modified. The veterinary drugs involve:

(4) 나라신(Narasin), (44) 마두라마이신(Maduramycin), (67) 사이로마진(Cyromazine), (71) 샘두라마이신(Semduramicin), (95) 아미트라즈(Amitraz), (96) 아바멕틴(Abamectin), (126) 이버멕틴(Ivermectin), (138) 카벤다짐(Carbendazim), (146) 클로피돌(Clopidol) , (150) 타일로신(Tylosin), (179) 푸마길린(Fumagillin)

For the detailed specifications, enterprises can access the online contaminant information platform launched by MFDS on January 19, 2022. ChemLinked compiles the instructions for enterprises’ reference.

2. Expansion of the Scope of Allowable Food Materials

To enable the development of diverse products, MFDS newly recognizes the Saccharina sculpera（개다시마）and Telmessus acutiden （왕밤송이게）as approved food ingredients.

Additionally, five temporarily approved food ingredients, including Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai (미선나무추출물), Kaempferia parviflora Wall. ex Baker (흑산내뿌리분말), Schizophyllum commune (치마버섯균사체배양물), concentrated separation minerals from deep ocean water (해양심층수 농축분리미네랄), and Fusarium venenatum A 3/5 (Fusarium venenatum ATCC PTA-2684), are officially included in the Food Code. Thus, these ingredients can now be used by anyone instead of the applicants only.

Furthermore, the "young shoot" of the white atractylodes (삽주) are reclassified from the restricted ingredient to the allowable ingredient.

3. Other Amendments

The food type of “seasoned seaweed” is revised to “processed seaweed (seasoned or toasted)” to encompass simply toasted seaweed for better clarification of the food category.

The room-temperature and refrigerated sauces that are packaged in single-serving sizes to accompany frozen foods are allowed to be frozen together with foods.

Oak chip can be used as flavoring agent in soy sauce and sauce production.

New test methods are established and existing ones are revised. Specifically: (a) The "piperine" parameter is deleted in the risk tests for black pepper powders; (b) New and improved test methods are established for pesticide and veterinary drug residues in foods. (c) Redundant existing test methods are deleted due to the establishment of new multi-component simultaneous test methods; (d) The test methods for the newly approved genetically modified food items (GMB151, MON87429) are inserted.