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Korea | Partial Revision of the Food Additives Code (No. 2021-19)

Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety(MFDS) announced partial revisions for the "Standards and specifications of Food Additives" (hereafter referred to as the "Food Additives Code") under public notice no. 2021-19 on March 9, 2021.

Main changes in this latest revision as follows:


Expansion of recognition scope of naturally occuring food additives


In order to reduce redundant regulations requiring business operators to prove naturally occuring benzoic acid, the latest revision of Food Additives Code have been revised to state that trace benzoic acid (0.02g/kg or less) that satisfy the below conditions may be recognized as a naturally occuring additive if

  • it can be detected naturally,

  • does not have technical effects (such as that of a preservative); and

  • do not affect the safety of consumers' health.

This change has been added to item 5) of 3. General Principles of I. General Provisions and item 5). now reads:


5) If a food additive which is not intentionally used in food is detected, it may be recognized as natural occurrence from any of the following cases: However, matters other than the following can be determined according to the provisions of [Annex 4] Regulations on Determination of Naturally Occurring Food Additives.


(1) if it is within the amount that is already recognized as natural occurrence by the

MFDS minister;

(2) if it is identified as natural occurrence from reports of domestic and foreign

government and international organizations, and Journals; or

(3) if it is detected as 0.10 g/kg or less as propionic acid. (However, if the food contains

animal ingredient(s), it shall be applied by converting the ingredients’ ratio excluding

the animal ingredient(s) out of whole ingredients.)

(4) if if is detected as 0.02g/kg or less as benzoic acid. (However, if the food contains animal ingredient(s), it shall be applied by converting the ingredients’ ratio excluding the animal ingredient(s) out of whole ingredients.) (newly added)


Amendment of standards for use of four additives


The MFDS has revised the standards for use of the below four additives (as shown in Table) to harmonise with international standards and reflect the usage of these additives at food manufacturing sites.


Amendment of standards for use for disinfectants


The MFDS has amended item 4) and added a new claused undert item 8) of Section 2, General Use levels to revise the standards for use of food disinfectants to prevent its misuse the new requirements are as follows:


Food additives used as disinfections

  • must be used by soaking (unless otherwise specified by the individual standards for use of each additive);

  • must not be mixed with other cleaning agents or disinfectants; and

  • must not be directly ingested or inhaled.

Clarification of definition of "General active and inert ingredient for use in food-contact surface sanitizing solutions"


The definition of "General active and inert ingredient for use in food-contact surface sanitizing solutions" under III. Standards and Specification for Food Contact Surface Sanitizing Solutions has been revised to allow additives recognized as food ingedients to be used as an auxilliary ingredient in sterilizers and disinfectants of utensils.


Addition of new clause in "General food-contact surface sanitizing solutions"


Under "General food-contact surface sanitizing solutions", a new clause under item 4) has been added as follows:


In case of an additive that has not been registered as a sterilizing and disinfectant ingredient for utensils, or if a mixture of registered items is to be manufactured, the temporary standard and standard must be recognized in accordance with the "Temporary Standards and Standards for Food, etc."


Amendment of "2. General Use Level on Food-Contact Surface Sanitizing Solutions" of utensils etc.


New standards for use of food-contact surface sanitizing solutions has been added (items 2. - 4.) and amended (underlined) as follow:

  1. Food-contact surface sanitizing solutions of utensils etc. must be used appropriately within the individual use level for the purpose of sterilizing and antimicrobial effect, and it should be removed in appropriate ways, such as natural-air drying, hot-air drying, before contacting with food.

  2. Food-contact surface sanitizing solutions of utensils etc. must be used by either

    1. submerging; or

    2. spraying directly on the utensils' surface; and

    3. should not be sprayed into the atmosphere around the utensils.

  3. Food-contact surface sanitizing solutions of utensils etc. must not be used together with cleaning agents or other sterlizers or disinfectants.

  4. Food-contact surface sanitizing solutions of utensils etc. must not be used for direct ingestion or inhalation.

Amendment of Test Methods for Eight Additives

Improvement has been made to the test method for the following eight additives:

  1. Disodium 5'-Ribonucleotide;

  2. Sodium Molybdate;

  3. Disodium 5’-inosinate;

  4. Calcium Phosphate Tribasic;

  5. Paprika extract;

  6. Ferrous Fumarate;

  7. Spice Oleoresins; and

  8. Yeast.

Related articles (Korean):



Related English articles:

(* Please note that these English articles serve as reference only. In case of a discrepancy, the original contents from the official MHLW source shall prevail.)


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