On June 30, 2022, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) issued the latest version of Food Code (MFDS Notification No. 2022-48) 1. The amendments are mainly related to the food raw material inventory, new food products for the elderly and the cancer patients, and the veterinary drug and pesticide residue limits, etc. The details are as below:
1. Modifications in Food Raw Materials
(1) Deleted Materials
Four materials are deleted from permitted food raw material inventory:
Neem(님), Ephedra(에페드라과), Red Asian knotweed(붉은호장근), and Hedge mustard (유럽 장대).
(2) New Restricted Materials
Five materials are moved from the permitted food raw material inventory (Attached Table 1 of the Food Code) to the restricted raw material list (Attached Table 2 of the Food Code)
| No. | Korean Name | English Name and other Common Names | Scientific Name | Part for Use | Notes |
| B가012650 | 호로파 | Fenugreek | Trigonella foenum-graecum L. | Seed | - |
| B가000480 | 감초 | Licorice | 감초 Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer / 광과감초(스페인감초) Glycyrrhiza glabra L. / 창과감초 Glycyrrhiza inflata Batal. | Root and rhizome | - |
| B가010400 | 주목(주목나무, 화솔나무) | Japanese yew, Rigid-branch yew | Taxus cuspidata Siebold & Zucc. / Hornemannia bicolor Willd. | Fruit (except seed) | - |
| B가004850 | 병풀(고투콜라) | Gotu Kola, Asian pennywort | Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. / Hydrocotyle asiatica / Centella boninensis Nakai ex Tuyama | leaf | - |
| B가008050 | 야콘 | Yacon | Polymnia sonchifolia Poepp. ＆ Endl. Polymniaedulis / Smallanthus sonchifolius | leaf | - |
(3) Newly Added Food Materials
97 food raw materials are newly added to the permitted food raw material inventory:
a. Plant raw materials
| No. | Korean Name | English Name | Scientific Name | Part for Usage |
| A가052950 | 등나무 | Wisteria | Wisteria floribunda (Willd.) DC. | flower |
| A가079050 | 백령버섯(백령고) | Bailinggu | Pleurotus tuoliensis | fruiting body |
| A가093150 | 뿔목이 | rubber ear | Auricularia cornea Ehrenb. | fruiting body |
| A가139650 | 작은목이 | Auricularia | Auricularia minutissima Y.C. Dai, F. Wu & Malysheva | fruiting body |
| A가142150 | 전나무목이 | A. americana | Auricularia americana Parmasto & I. Parmasto ex Audet, Boulet & Sirard | fruiting body |
| A가150250 | 짧은털목이 | A. villosula | Auricularia villosula Malysheva | fruiting body |
| A가187450 | 흑목이 | Auricularia heimuer - | Auricularia heimuer F. Wu, B.K. Cui & Y.C. Dai | fruiting body |
b. Animal raw materials
| No. | English Name | Scientific Name |
| A나091420 | American angler | Lophius americanus |
| A나091434 | Angulate volute | Zidona dufresnei |
| A나091438 | Arctic lamprey | Lethenteron camtschaticum |
| A나091442 | Argentine hake | Merluccius hubbsi |
| A나091446 | Argentine seabass | Acanthistius brasilianus |
| A나091550 | Atlantic sailfish | Istiophorus albicans |
| A나091705 | Australian spiny lobster | Panulirus cygnus |
| A나091745 | Bering shrimp | Sclerocrangon salebrosa |
| … | … | … |
Consult us for the whole table of newly added raw materials. (contact@chemlinked.com)
(4) New materials of temporary standards and specifications
Microbacterium foliorum SYG27B-MF, Macrolepiota albuminosa (Berk.) Pegler, Termitomyces albuminosa (Berk.) R.Heim, mixed powder of corn’s bract and heart, pine cone extract, Noni leaf, skimmed powder of Zophobas morio larva, Western honey bee are added to the Attached Table 3 of Food Code. The materials listed in Attached Table 3 are the materials recognized as per the Temporary Standards and Specifications of Food Recognition Regulation2. Enterprises shall use these materials following the manufacturing requirements specified in the table only.
2. New Food Types
(1) Nutrient Formula Food for the Elderly
Korean authority introduced a new product under Special Nutrient Food category, namely, Nutrient Formula Food for the Elderly (고령자용 영양조제식품). As per MFDS, this food aims to provide nutrients to the elderly. It is different from the current Food for the Elderly which focuses on adjusting the food’s physical property. Its definition, standard, and specification are specified as well.
Nutrient Formula Food for the Elderly is manufactured or processed food mixed with nutrients, with a purpose to prevent or improve the elderly’s inadequate nutrient intake. This kind of food can provide balanced nutrients needed bythe elderly over 65 years Nutrient Formula Food for the Elderly is in the forms of liquid, gel, or powder/granule that can be blended with water.
The calories in the product shall be over 1.0 kcal/1 mL(g).
For per 1,000kcal of the product, the nutrient standard shall be as follows:
Nutrients | Standards |
Protein (g) | 37 ∼63 |
Alpha-linolenic Acid (g) | Over 0.5 |
DHA+EPA (mg) | Over 120 |
Dietary Fiber (g) | over 12 |
Vitamin A (μg RAE) | 360∼1,700 |
Vitamin B1 (mg) | Over 0.6 |
Vitamin B2 (mg) | Over 0.7 |
Vitamin B6 (mg) | 0.8∼56 |
Vitamin B12 (μg) | Over 1.3 |
Vitamin C (mg) | 56∼1,100 |
Vitamin D (μg) | 11∼56 |
Vitamin E (mg α-TE) | 7∼300 |
Niacin (mg NE) | 7∼19 |
Folic Acid (μg) | 220∼560 |
Calcium (mg) | 550∼1,100 |
Iron (mg) | 4∼25 |
Zinc (mg) | 4∼19 |
Potassium (mg) | Over 1,900 |
Selenium (μg) | 28∼220 |
Moreover, two food addtives Sodium Selenate and Sodium Selenite are newly permitted for manufacturing the Nutrient Formula Food for the Elderly in the latest version of Food Additive Code3.
(2) Food for Cancer Patients
To meet consumer’s diversified demands, the authority newly inserted two kinds of food for cancer patients under the Food for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) category. They are Nutrient Formula Food for the Cancer Patients (암환자용 영양조제식품) and Manu Food for Cancer Patients (암환자용 식단형식품).
a. Nutrient Formula Food for Cancer Patients
Nutrient Formula Food for the Cancer Patients refers to nutrient formula manufactured/processed by means of compounding or concentrating nutrients, which aims to help in fully supplying necessary calories and nutrients to the cancer patients, minimizing the patients’ undernourishment probability, remaining the patients’ physical activity and function, accelerating the recovery from deterioration in physical strength.
The protein-derived calories shall be more than 18% of the total calories in the product. Meanwhile, the fat-derived calories shall be 15~35% of the total calories, and saturated fat-derived calories shall be less than 7% of the total calories in the product. As for the omega-3 fatty acid, it refers to the total amount of EPA and DHA fatty acid, which shall be over 250 mg per 1,000kcal. The calories in the product shall be over 1.0 kcal/1 mL(g).
b. Manu Food for Cancer Patients
Manu Food for Cancer Patients refers to the manufactured/processed product containing appropriate materials to meet nutrition needs, which can be the substitute for a meal. It aims to help in fully supplying necessary calories and nutrients to the cancer patients, minimizing the patients’ undernourishment probability, remaining patients’ physical activity and function, accelerating the recovery from deterioration in physical strength.
The protein-derived calories shall be more than 18% of the total calories in the product. Meanwhile, the fat-derived calories shall be 15~35% of the total calories, and saturated fat-derived calories shall be less than 7% of the total calories in the product. The sodium shall be less than 1,350 mg.
3. Veterinary Drug and Pesticide Residue Limits
(1) Veterinary Drug Residue Limits
The maximum residue limits of Ketoprofen are newly outlined:
Cattle muscle | 0.05 mg/kg |
Cattle fat | 0.05 mg/kg |
Cattle liver | 0.05 mg/kg |
Cattle kidney | 0.05 mg/kg |
Milk | 0.05 mg/kg |
(2) Maximum Limits of Residual Substances in Livestock and Fishery Products
The maximum residue limits of Spinosad foods are modified and five pesticides’ residue limits are newly added.
a. Spinosad
Spinosad remained in the following foods: | Modifications of the maximum residue limits (mg/kg) |
Poultry meat | 0.3(f)† -> 0.1 |
Poultry by-products | 0.2 (newly inserted) |
Poultry fat | 1.0 (newly inserted) |
Egg | 0.03†-> 0.5 |
* The above standards mean the tolerance limits for the substances migrated from the feed to the livestock products. (Newly added notes) |
(Agricultural products marked with “+” are agricultural products for which the residual limit standard is set at the request of the exporting country. When the products meet the bar, they are approved for importing to S. Korea.)
b. Cyhalothrin: refers to the sum of all isomers of Cyhalothrin （newly added）
Cyhalothrin remained in the following foods: | Maximum residue limits (mg/kg) |
Milk | 0.2 |
Mammal meat | 0.2 |
Mammal by-products | 0.2 |
Mammal fat | 3.0 |
c. Chlorantraniliprole（newly added）
Chlorantraniliprole remained in the following foods: | Maximum residue limits (mg/kg) |
Poultry meat | 0.2 |
Poultry by-products | 0.07 |
Poultry fat | 0.08 |
Egg | 0.2 |
Milk | 0.05 |
Mammal meat | 0.05 |
Mammal by-products | 0.2 |
Mammal fat | 0.2 |
d. Teflubenzuron（newly added）
Teflubenzuron remained in the following foods: | Maximum residue limits (mg/kg) |
Poultry meat | 0.01 |
Poultry by-products | 0.01 |
Poultry fat | 0.01 |
Egg | 0.01 |
Milk | 0.01 |
Mammal meat | 0.01 |
Mammal by-products | 0.01 |
Mammal fat | 0.01 |
e. Thiamethoxam（newly added）
Thiamethoxam remained in the following foods: | Maximum residue limits (mg/kg) |
Poultry meat | 0.01 |
Poultry by-products | 0.01 |
Poultry fat | 0.01 |
Egg | 0.01 |
Milk | 0.05 |
Mammal meat | 0.02 |
Mammal by-products | 0.01 |
Mammal fat | 0.01 |
f. Flonicamid: refers to the sum of Flonicamid and TFNA-AM（newly added）
Flonicamid remained in the following foods: | Maximum residue limits (mg/kg) |
Poultry meat | 0.01 |
Poultry by-products | 0.01 |
Poultry fat | 0.05 |
Egg | 0.15 |
Milk | 0.15 |
Mammal meat | 0.15 |
Mammal by-products | 0.2 |
Mammal fat | 0.05 |
4. Others
(1) Modifying the fungal toxin standard for corn. For the corns used for manufacturing starch, the fumonisin standard is deleted from the corn’s fungal toxin requirements, as the fumonisin is removed during the starch manufacturing process.
(2) Specifying that the Home Meal Replacement (HMR) food's microorganism standard is not applicable for the HMR food with individually packaged agricultural, livestock, or fishery materials.
(3) Revising the food poisoning bacteria specifications of the directly-eaten food and convenience store food.
(4) Optimizing test methods.
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