On July 24, 2024, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea issued Notice No. 2024-41, revising the Food Standard Code, which will be implemented from the date of publication. The main contents are as follows:
(1) Clarify the labeling standards for infants and young children: specify that general foods for infants and young children must be labeled as "infant food" to strengthen the provision of consumer information and ensure consumers' right to choose;
(2) Relax the labeling standards for mixed edible oil product names: allow the use of raw material names in the product names of mixed edible oil, and clearly label the method, use the most commonly used raw material names in the product names, and combine the characteristics of edible oil, label all edible oil content information to prevent consumer misunderstanding and confusion;
(3) Clarify the processing of frozen food into refrigerated products after thawing: the content of "food standards and specifications" is clearly defined as simple thawing or sub-packaging used as raw materials for refrigerated products after thawing to prevent confusion between sellers;
(4) Strengthen the caloric labels of alcoholic beverages, so that the caloric value of alcoholic beverages is larger and more eye-catching;
(5) Clarify the labeling object of the color value of natural pigment products: it is clear that the color price of natural colorants can be displayed only when there is a pigment content standard in the "Food Standard Specification";
(6) New labeling is required after the content change: in the case of a decrease in content and an increase in unit price, the fact of the change in content must be indicated to strengthen the provision of information to consumers and ensure the right of consumers to choose products;
(7) Expand the provision of information on products highlighting sugar-free or unsweetened products: When products are highlighted as sugar-free, unsweetened, etc., "sweetener" and "calorie content information" should be displayed together;
(8) Determine the tolerance range of essential fatty acids: according to the "Korean Nutrient Intake Standard", the daily intake of three essential fatty acids (linoleic acid, α-Linolenic acid, EPA+DHA) was determined and added to the label as a nutrient. To determine the permissible range between the declared amounts and the actual measured values of the three essential fatty acids (linoleic acid, α-Linolenic acid, EPA+DHA).
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