,"South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has announced an administrative notice to revise the regulation titled “Standards and Specifications for Functional Health Foods”, proposing changes to streamline submission requirements and update terminology. Key Regulatory Provisions: The proposed amendment would simplify the documentation for functional health foods by requiring pesticide-residue test reports only for plant-based raw materials where pesticide use is possible, while exempting animal-based, microbial, or synthetic raw materials from this requirement. It also aims to align definitions of “functional raw material” with those in the existing regulations, update difficult administrative terms, and clarify English naming conventions for improved transparency. Timeline and Consultation The MFDS has opened a public consultation inviting comments from individuals or organizations on the draft amendment. Submissions are accepted until 18 November 2025, after which the rule will be finalized and promulgated. This move is part of MFDS’s broader regulatory innovation strategy to reduce unnecessary burdens on food-industry stakeholders and promote safer, more efficient oversight of functional health foods. The revision seeks to clarify overlapping definitions and eliminate documentation requirements seen as duplicative for certain raw materials"
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