Food Compliance
Intelligence & Solutions
Home / News / Details

South Korea Updates Food Labeling Standard

South Korea requires the use of a label disclaimer “non-medical/non-health functional food” on all FSMP products. Labeling requirements of “natural salt,” “natural honey,” and “royal jelly” have been simplified. Acceptable labeling terminology for “natural foods” have been clarified. Two instances where exemptions are available on labeling requirements are outlined.

MFDS issued the amendments of the Food Labeling Standard [1] on May 12, 2020. The updated regulation will be effective on January 1, 2022, and the major revisions are:

1. New Mandatory Label Precautions for Foods for Special Medical Purpose

MFDS requires the manufacturers to add the disclaimer “non-Medical/non-Health Functional Food” on the labels of Foods for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP).

2. Acceptable Labeling for Foods Designated Natural

The labeling items for natural foods are clarified. Specifies are as follows:

Previous   Requirements

Amended   Requirements

a. Product Name;

a. Product Name or Content Name;

b. Company Name

(Manufacturer or importer's name is acceptable);

b. Company Name

(Reaper/manufacturer/packer/importer's name is acceptable);

c. Production Date.

c. Production year or date

(Year or date of reap/catch/slaughter is acceptable).

3. Simplified Labeling Requirements for “Natural Salt,” “Natural Honey,” and “Royal Jelly”

The labeling standards of “natural salt,” “natural honey,” and “royal jelly” are divided from those of their processed products to keep in conformity with the categories under the Food Code [2].

 The labeling items of the foods mentioned above are simplified. Generally, 13 tags shall be labeled on the processed natural food, whilst only three comprehensive items on the “natural salt,” “natural honey,” and “royal jelly,” they are:

  1. Product Name or Content Name;

  2. Company Name (reaper/manufacturer/packer/ importer's name);

  3. Production year or date (reaping or slaughtering year or date).

 4. Labeling Requirement Exemptions

Two cases where exemptions are available include:

  1. Agricultural, forestry or fishery products can be exempted from Korean labeling requirements if they are granted with quality marks of “Best,” “Most,” or “Special” (“베스트,” “모스트,” or “스페셜”) specified in Enforcement Rule of Grain Management Act [3].

  2.  When such products are sold in transparent packages as stipulated in Act on Revitalization of Direct Trade in Agricultural Products [4], Korean labels can also be omitted.

5. Amendments of Labeling Standards on Material Name

Names of aquaculture raw materials are required to be labeled in line with requirements prescribed in  Food Code or with names widely acknowledged by the market. The species of the aquaculture products can be added in a bracket, followed by the material name, such as: 

korea fishery food label

We provide full-scale global food market entry services (including product registration, ingredient review, regulatory consultation, customized training, market research, branding strategy). Please contact us to discuss how we can help you by food@chemlinked.com
Copyright: unless otherwise stated all contents of this website are ©2024 - REACH24H Consulting Group - All Rights Reserved - For permission to use any content on this site, please contact cleditor@chemlinked.com