,"Korea has issued a comprehensive revision of the Standards and Specifications for Food Additives under Article 7 of the Food Sanitation Act. The revision aims to modernize the regulatory system, enhance international alignment, and expand flexibility for the food industry. Administrative notice 2025-316 was published on July 22, 2025, and finalized on September 25, 2025.
1. Major Structural Reorganization of Food Additive Standards
Introduction of a new classification system for food additives: general food additives, processing aids, and nutritional enhancers.
Establishment of new general standards and specifications applicable to all additives.
Clarification of rules on the application of standards and specifications, including radiation testing criteria and delegation regulations.
Reorganization of the entire framework into item-specific usage standards and item-specific ingredient specifications.
Disinfectant standards for utensils and instruments revised and moved into item-specific sections.
New appendices added, including a list of substances allowed in fragrances and a list of disinfectant ingredients for utensils.
The overall goal is to strengthen user convenience and align Korea’s food additive regulations with international frameworks.
2. Improvements to Enzyme Agent Specifications
Ingredient specifications for 39 enzyme agents updated to reflect international scientific standards.
Additions include reaction mechanisms, reactants, EC numbers, and additional identifier fields (tinnitus).
Diastase integrated under β-amylase, with its test method added as Method 2 in the β-amylase activity test.
Name changes for consistency with international terminology:
Beta-glycosidase → β-glucosidase
Alpha-galactosidase → α-galactosidase
These changes improve classification clarity, support export operations, and strengthen industry compliance.
3. Expanded Usage Rules for Modified Hop Extract and Nutritional Enhancers
Standards for modified hop extract revised to permit use in more alcoholic beverages and wheat-based carbonated drinks.
Usage of seven nutritional enhancers, including vitamin K1, expanded so they can be added to general foods.
Primary uses added for ten additives, including cross-linked sodium carboxymethylcellulose.
The category “other foods” removed from general provisions and now clarified only in individual item-specific usage standards.
These changes support development of new products that meet consumer trends and enhance industry competitiveness.
4. Modernization and Harmonization of Test Methods
General test methods updated to improve analytical accuracy and match international standards.
Inductively coupled plasma luminescence photometry renamed to inductively coupled plasma (“magic”) method, with ICP–mass spectrometry added as a secondary test method.
Arsenic test methods updated and now based on the ICP method under both general tests and ingredient specifications.
ICP-based techniques added to pigment testing and heavy metal testing for seven metals.
All ppm units replaced with internationally standardized units mg/kg or mg/L throughout standards and test methods.
Changes aim to improve reliability, precision, and convenience for laboratories and regulators.
5. Administrative Notes
Legal basis: Article 7 of the Food Sanitation Act.
No additional budget was required for implementation.
Regulatory Reform Committee confirmed the revision was not subject to regulatory review on July 17, 2025.
Administrative notice period: July 22 to September 21, 2025.
The Food Additives Division of the Food Hygiene Deliberation Committee approved the revision on September 25, 2025."
Consumer News Region