South Korea Proposes Amendments to Food Standards Covering Liquid Eggs, Medical Nutrition Foods, and Pesticide Residue Limits

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) published Notice No. 2025-523, proposing amendments to the Standards and Specifications for Foods under the Food Sanitation Act and the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act. The draft amendment was released for public consultation in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, with the comment period open until 23 February 2026.

The proposal introduces three major regulatory changes aimed at strengthening food safety management while expanding the framework for special medical-purpose foods.

First, the MFDS proposes to establish new manufacturing and processing requirements for the use of non-sterilized liquid eggs. Where non-sterilized liquid eggs are used as raw materials in foods intended to be consumed without further cooking or heat treatment, manufacturers would be required to apply mandatory heat pasteurization or sterilization before completion of the final product. This measure addresses the risk of foodborne illness due to cross-contamination during production and seeks to ensure the safety of ready-to-eat foods made with liquid egg ingredients.

Second, the draft introduces new standards and specifications for foods for special medical purposes, specifically for nutritional formulated foods intended for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A new food category, “nutritional formulated foods for inflammatory bowel disease patients,” is proposed, defined as products designed to prevent or supplement nutrient deficiencies and support weight maintenance through formulations that enhance digestibility and absorption.

Under the proposed compositional requirements, IBD nutritional formulated foods must contain at least 39 g of protein per 1,000 kcal, except where protein is supplied in the form of hydrolysates or free amino acids, in which case a minimum of 30 g per 1,000 kcal applies. In addition, such products must provide at least 35 µg of vitamin K and 30 µg of selenium per 1,000 kcal. Related amendments also revise protein criteria for intestinal disorder-specific hydrolyzed protein formulations by replacing percentage-based requirements with fixed gram-based thresholds.

Third, the proposal revises maximum residue limits (MRLs) for certain pesticides in foods, as set out in Annex 4 of the Standards. The draft lowers the MRL for buprofezin in rice from 0.5 mg/kg to 0.4 mg/kg, for flubendiamide in rice from 0.5 mg/kg to 0.1 mg/kg, and for fluopyram in wheat from 0.9 mg/kg to 0.2 mg/kg. These revisions aim to strengthen residue control and ensure a higher level of consumer protection.

The MFDS proposes that the amended standards enter into force on the date of promulgation. However, a 12-month deferred implementation period would apply to the revised requirements for intestinal disorder-related nutritional foods and the amended pesticide residue limits. The amendments would apply to foods manufactured, processed, or imported after the effective date, based on shipment date.

Overall, the proposed amendments represent a significant update to South Korea’s food safety and medical nutrition framework, with implications for food manufacturers, importers, and suppliers of ready-to-eat foods, special medical-purpose foods, and agricultural products. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments to the MFDS by 23 February 2026.