South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has issued Notification No. 2026-43, amending the Standards and Specifications for Health Functional Foods. The revised requirements took effect on 11 June 2026 and introduce updates to functional ingredient standards, approved nutrient sources, analytical methods, and consumer safety labelling requirements.
The amendments revise the specifications for eight recognized functional ingredients, including soy isoflavones, Haematococcus pluvialis extract, lecithin, and mucopolysaccharide-protein. Changes include updated daily intake levels, manufacturing standards, quality specifications, and precautionary statements. Among the revisions, the recommended daily intake for Haematococcus pluvialis extract has been increased from 4–12 mg to 6–12 mg, while the daily intake level for mucopolysaccharide-protein has been adjusted to 2 g.
To enhance consumer protection, the authority expanded precautionary labelling requirements for certain products. Notably, health functional foods containing evening primrose seed extract must now include a warning advising that children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women should avoid consumption. Additional usage precautions were also updated for ingredients such as guava leaf extract.
The revision further broadens the range of approved nutrient sources by adding ferrous gluconate as a permitted source of iron and zinc citrate as a recognized source of zinc. In addition, hydrolysed milk protein has been newly recognized as a functional ingredient that may contribute to improved sleep quality. It also introduced a new iodine-starch reaction test and analytical method for aloe gel materials. The method identifies potential starch adulteration through a colour change reaction of the iodine reagent, providing an additional tool for verifying ingredient authenticity and product quality.
Consumer News Region