1. Reason for the Revision

The revision aims to enforce the provision of safe food to the public by setting new standards for the cadmium content of cocoa and chocolate products; by providing and revising the standards for the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticide and veterinary drug in food products; by introducing statistical concepts for microbial standards; and by providing or revising the test methods used to verify the standards and specifications, while enabling various patient-specific food items to be supplied to consumers by providing standards and specifications for nutritional supplements for cirrhotic patients.

2. Main Contents

a. Provision of new cadmium standards for cocoa and chocolate products [Article 5. 3. 3-1 5) (2), Article 5. 3. 3-2 5) (5) of the draft]

1) It is necessary to provide new standards for foods that are highly exposed to cadmium based on the results of a review of the heavy metal standards and specifications for food products.

2) The revision establishes new cadmium standards for food products that contain cocoa powder and chocolate.

3) The revision aims to improve food safety management and public health by providing standards for foods consumed mainly by sensitive groups.

b. Provision of food types and standards for nutritional supplements for cirrhosis patients [Article 5. 11. 11-1 of the draft]

1) The current manufacturing standards for patient foods only cover certain diseases and uses, thus limiting the provision of products for patients with diverse diseases.

2) The revision establishes the food types, standards and specifications for nutritional supplements intended for cirrhosis patients.

3) The revision aims to improve the convenience of meal management for cirrhotic patients and to provide a foundation for the supply of diverse specialty medical foods.

c. Revision of the food poisoning bacteria standards for ready-to-cook meat preparations [Article 5. 17. 17-7 5) (2), Article 5. 17. 17-7 5) (4) of the draft]

1) It is necessary to expand the statistical concepts for scientific rational management of the specifications of microorganisms.

2) The revision introduces statistical concepts for staphylococcus aureus and enteritis vibrio in ready-to-cook meat preparations.

3) The revision aims to revitalize the food industry, protect public health, and reduce trade friction related to import/export by ensuring the representativeness and reliability of microbiological tests.

d. Provision and revision of the permissible pesticide residue limits in food items [Attached Table 4: (5) Naprophamide, (6) Novaluron, (14) Dinotefuran, (19) Dimethomorph, (29) Dichlorvos, (33) Dithianone, (34) Dithiocarbamate, (36) Diphenoconazole, (38) Diflubenzuron, (39) Dimpropyridaz, (41) Lufenuron, (45) Myclobutanil, (46) Mandestrobin, (53) Mecoprop-p, (54) Metamidophos, (60) Methaflumizone, (61) Metolaxyl, (64) Methoxyphenozide, (65) Metholachlor, (68) Methaldehyde, (69) Methconazole, (76) Mefentrifluconazole, (78) Mepiquat chloride, (81) Milbemycin, (83) Validamycin A, (84) Valifenalate, (85) Benaraxyl, (98) Butachlor, (99) Buprofezin, (102) Bromplanilide, (108) Bifenazate, (110) Bifenthrin, (115) Cymoxanil, (116) Cyazopamide, (117) Cyantraniliprole, (118) Cyanopyrazine, (119) Cyclaniliprole, (122) Cypermethrin, (123) Cyprodinil, (125) Cyflumethophen, (127) Cyflufenamide, (128) Cyhalothrin, (133) Sulfoxaflor, (136) Streptomycin, (137) Spinetoram, (139) Spirodiclofen, (140) Spiromesifene, (141) Spirotetramat, (150) Amisulbromine, (151) Amitraz, (152) Abamectin, (155) Acetamiprid, (157) Acetate, (159) Isocycloseram, (161) Isopetamide, (165) Isopyrazam, (168) Azoxystrobin, (171) Aphidopyrofen, (174) Alachlor, (177) Emamectin benzoate, (179) Ethavoxam, (180) Ethalfluralin, (182) Etofenprox, (184) Ethoxazole, (197) EmpiA, (208) Oxathiopiproline, (209) Oxolinic acid, (210) Oxytetracycline, (219) Iminoxadine, (220) Imidacloprid, (223) Isa-D, (226) Iprodione, (234) Indoxacarb, (239) Cadusafos, (241) Carbendazim, (243) Carbofuran, (245) Catap, (249) Captan, (255) Cresoxymethyl, (258) Chlorantraniliprole, (262) Chlorfenapyr, (265) Chlorfluazuron, (269) Clotianidin, (273) Terbufos, (274) Tebuconazole, (280) Tetraniliprol, (285) Teflutrin, (293) Triadimefon, (297) Triclopyr, (300) Trifloxystrobin, (305) Triflumizole, (311) Thiacloprid, (312) Thiapenacil, (318) Tiproxamide, (320) Famoxadone, (328) Phenobucarb, (333) Phenythion, (336) Pendimethalin, (340) Fencycluron, (347) Fenthiopyrad, (352) Fenpyrazamine, (355) Fenhexamide, (362) Foxime, (368) Prochloraz, (371) Propamocarb, (381) Flonikamide, (383) Florilficoxamide, (384) Flomethoquine, (385) Fludioxonil, (389) Flubendiamide, (394) Fluazinam, (395) Fluazipop-butyl, (397) Fluopyram, (398) Fluopycholide, (401) Fluindapyr, (403) Flutolanil, (405) Flutianil, (407) Flufenoxuron, (408) Flupyradifuron, (410) Fluxamethamide, (411) Fluxapyroxad, (413) Fidiflumethophen, (416) Pyraziflumide, (418) Pyraclostrobin, (421) Pyridaben, (422) Pyridalil, (423) Pyrimethanil, (429) Pyribencarb, (430) Pyriophenone, (431) Pyriproxyfen, (433) Pyrifluquinazon, (434) Pymethrozine, (435) Picabutrazox, (436) Picoxystrobin, (439) Piflubumide, (444) Hexaconazole, (445) Hexathiazox]

1) It is necessary to establish and revise MRLs for pesticides based on registration (planned) or imported agricultural products under the Pesticide Control Act. Additionally, it is necessary to manage pesticide components that may unintentionally contaminate livestock products through feed, soil, water, and other sources. 

2) The revision establishes and revises the MRLs for 137 pesticides, including napropamide.

3) The revision aims to provide safe food to the public by rationally establishing and revising the MRLs for pesticide in agricultural, livestock, and marine products.

e. Revision of permissible residue standards for veterinary drugs in food [Article 2. 3. 8) (1) of the draft, attached Table 5: (169) Phenacetin]

1) The revision deletes the current residue allowance for phenacetin, whose use has been revoked in Korea due to its carcinogenicity, and it has been added to the list of substances that should not be detected in food.

2) The revision aims to ensure the supply of safe foods to the public by reasonably revising the permissible amounts of veterinary drug residues in food products.

f. Establishment and revision of the general test methods [Article 8. 4. 4.1 4.1.1, Article 8. 4. 4.1 4.1.2, Article 8. 4. 4.3, Article 8. 4. 4.4 4.4.1, Article 8. 4. 4.5 4.5.1, Article 8. 4. 4.7 4.7.2, Article 8. 4. 4.8 4.8.1, Article 8. 4. 4.8 4.8.2, Article 8. 4. 4.9 4.9.1, Article 8. 4. 4.11, Article 8. 4. 4.13 4. 4.13.1, Article 8. 4.13 4.13.2, Article 8. 4.14 4.14.1, Article 8. 4.14 4.14.2, Article 8. 4.15, 8. 4.16, Article 8. 4.17, Article 8. 4.21, Article 8. 4. 4.21, Article 8. 4. 4.26, Article 8. 4. 4.28, Article 8. 7., Article 8. 8., Article 8. 9. 9.2 9.2.7, Article 8. 9. 9.8 9.8.4, Article 8. 10. 10.1.5 of the draft]

1) The revision establishes new molecular biological test methods for the rapid and accurate detection of food poisoning bacteria (for Vibrio enteritis, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio septicemiae, Vibrio cholerae) and the clarification of some test methods to improve them.

2) The revision wholly revises the entire test method terms and unifies the methods of describing pesticide residues and veterinary drugs in food.

3) The revision enhances the accuracy of test results, and newly establishes and revises the methods of testing for the presence of pesticide and veterinary drug residues based on the revision of the standard specifications.

4) The revision improves the method of testing for deoxynivalenol among mycotoxins.

5) The revision improves the method of testing for domoic acid among mycotoxins.

6) The revision establishes new test methods for approved items of genetically modified foods (MON95379, DP-915635-4, DP-023211-2).

7) The revision aims to ensure the provision of safe food products to the public by revising scientific test methods in order to improve their reliability.

g. Other regulatory amendments [Article 1. 3. 11), Article 2. 1. 2) (6), Article 2. 3. 7) (1) ③, Article 2. 3. 7) (4), Article 2. 3. 8) (3), Article 2. 4. 3) (12) ③, Article 4. 3. 2), Article 5. 2. 2-2 5) (5), Article 5. 7. 7-2 5) (8), Article 5. 9. 9-6 5) (1), Article 5. 17. 17-2 3) (2), Article 5. 17. 17-2 5) (6), Article 5. 17. 17-5 4) (2), Article 5. 19. 19-2 5) (9), Article 5. 19. 19-4 5) (5) of the draft, attached Table 6]

1) The revision aims to clear up any unnecessary explanations of terms.

2) The revision clarifies that substances exempt from MRLs are those for which standard setting is unnecessary.

3) The revision clarifies that instant sales and manufacturing processors may divide meat products and cheese for sale.

4) The revision clarifies the scope of applicable frozen food products subject to the standards.

5) The revision aligns the standard unit of lactic acid bacteria count with the unit of their general test method.

6) The revision revises the iodine value level of edible beef tallow to reflect product characteristics.

7) The revision clarifies the scope of products that are subject to the standards and specifications for producing and processing sausages.

8) The revision revises the definition of ground processed meat products to reflect the revision to the Enforcement Decree of the Livestock Products Sanitation Control Act.