4. Labeling Requirements

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4. Labeling Requirements

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General Foods
South Korea

This section provides information on labeling requirements and the label approval process.

4.1 Mandatory Labeling Parameters

1. Labeling items [1]

Product name
Food type
Name of company and address
Country of origin
Use by date
Net content/Calories equivalent to the content
Ingredients list
Nutritional labeling: Nutritional components with a ratio of daily nutritional intake
Packaging materials
Nutrient name and its content and % of daily nutritional intake
Storage condition
Return and exchange location
Cautions
1. To report a case of suspected side effects, call 1577-2488 without area code
2. Allergen (it must be labeled if applicable)
3. Labeling of irradiation food (it must be labeled if applicable)
4. Labeling of GMO foods (it must be labeled if applicable)
5. Labeling of Fried food (it must be labeled if applicable)
6. Number of lactic acid bacteria (it must be labeled if applicable)

2. Font size of letters

Bigger than 10 according to Article 5 of the enforcement rules of the Food Labeling and Advertising Act [2].

3. Foods subject to nutritional labeling according to Article 6 of the Enforcement Rules of the Food Labeling and Advertising Act [2]

Retort foods
Bakery, confectionery, candy, rice cake
Ice cream, ice products
Processed cocoa or chocolate
Processed sugar
Jam
Tofu
Vegetable oil
Noodle
Beverages
Special nutritional foods
Special foods for medical purposes
Soy sauces
Seasoning foods
Pickled foods
Processed agricultural foods
Processed meat products
Processed egg products
Milk Products
Processed fish products
Instant foods
Health functional foods

4. Labeling method when using the product name with taste and aroma according to attached form No. 1 of Food Labeling Standard [1]

If you intend to use only flavoring as an ingredient to enhance the taste or aroma of a food and use flavors as a product name or part of the product name, the phrase “ooo flavor” must be labeled after the ingredient name.

Additionally, the font size must be the same as the product name, and a label such as “synthetic ooo flavor added (or contains)” or “synthetic flavor added (or contains)” must be labeled around the product name.

5. Labeling product name of imported foods according to attached form No. 1 of Food Labeling Standard [1]

When labeling the same product name that is used in exporting country for imported food in Korean, it must be labeled according to loanword orthography or translated and labeled, and the product name labeled in Korean must meet the labeling standards.

In the case of food distributed in the exporting country, there must be a label indicated by the exporting country. When attaching a sticker printed in Korean to imported food, a label or tag can be used, but must be attached so that it does not fall off. Major labeling information, such as the product name and expiration date labeled on the original container or packaging, must not be obscured [1].

6. Food allergens subject to labeling according to Table No. 2 under Article 5-1 of the Enforcement Rules of Food Labeling and Advertising act [3]

Hens eggs, milk, buckwheat, peanut, soybean, wheat, mackerel, crab, shrimp, pork meat, peach, tomato, sulfite (subject to labeled if residual sulfite is more than 10gram/kg), walnut, chicken, beef, squid, shellfish [3].

Allergens should be labeled in a color that is different from the background color or in an isolated box.

7. GMO labeling

If GMO DNA or protein is identified in a food, GMO must be labeled on main display or in parenthesis right next to the ingredient. Letter size must be bigger than 12 according to Article 5 of the Labeling Standard of Genetically Modified Food [4].

8. Net weight and calorie corresponding net weight

Subject to labeling on the main display with letter size bigger than 12 [1].

9. Country of origin

Subject to labeling if the food contains agricultural and fishery products [5].

10. Labeling of food additives [3]

Food additives that are directly used or added during the manufacturing and processing of food for purposes specified in Table 4 of the Labeling Standards for Food Additives must be labeled with their names and uses. (Example: Sodium saccharin (sweetener)).
In the case of food additives specified in Table 5 of the Food Labeling Standards, food additives must be labeled with the name notified in the Food Additive Code or the abbreviated name specified in Table 5.
In the case of food additives specified in Table 6 of the food labeling standards, the name in the Food Additive Code, the abbreviated name specified in Table 6, or the main purpose (if there is an overlapping purpose of use for food additive) must be labeled. However, if the food additives in Table 6 are used for purposes other than the main purpose specified, they must be labeled with their name in the Food Additives Code or the abbreviated name of the food additive.

4.2 Languages

Principally, the language used for product labeling is Korean according to Table No. 3 under Article 7 of the Enforcement Rules of the Food Labeling and Advertising Act [3].

For imported foods, the Korean label must be attached to the original label before import declaration according to Article 27-1 of the Enforcement Rules of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management [6].

4.3 Mandatory Information on Stickers

According to Article 27-1 of the Enforcement Rules of Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management, it is permitted to attach a sticker with Korean label information to the original product. However, the product name and manufacturing date on the original label must not be hidden [6].

According to Article 27-1 of the Enforcement Rules of Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management, it is permitted to attach a sticker with Korean label information to the original product. However, product name and manufacturing date on the original label must not be hidden.

The letter size of the Korean label to be attached to the product must be bigger than 10 points according to Table 3 under article 7 of the Enforcement Rules of Food Labeling and Advertising Act [6].

4.4 Product Legal Name

N/A

4.5 Product-specific Labeling Statements

N/A

4.6 Authority Approval

1. For General Foods, product labeling does not require approval from the relevant MFDS or related organizations.

2. General foods may be labeled with functionality, which is called "general food with functional labeling", only on products that have been reviewed by the Food Labeling Deliberation Committee established at the Korea Food Industry Association according to Article 10 of the Enforcement Rule of Food Labeling and Advertising Act [3].

3. Notified health functional food ingredients that can be used in General Foods with functional labeling include ginseng, red ginseng, chlorella, spirulina, propolis extract, guava leaf extract, banana leaf extract, oil containing EPA and DHA, Japanese apricot extract, guar gum, guar gum hydrolysate, indigestible maltodextrin, soybean dietary fiber, tree ear dietary fiber, wheat dietary fiber, barley dietary fiber, corn bran dietary fiber, inulin/chicory extract, psyllium husk seed fiber, fenugreek dietary fiber, aloe gel, red yeast rice, soybean protein, poly-gamma glutamic acid, garlic, raffinose, agar powder, and hydrolyzed milk protein. The full list of permitted functional food ingredients is listed in Chapter 3 of the Health Functional Food Code [9].

Refer to Table No. 1 under Article 3-1 decree of the Food Labeling and Advertising Act which is related to the range of foods that are not recognized as improper labeling and advertisement [7].

4. Requirements for food with functional labeling according to Article 5 of the Regulation on the Food Labeling and Advertisement that is not recognized as improper labeling and advertisement [8].

It must be manufactured at a manufacturing facility recognized as a GMP manufacturing facility. However, it does not apply to imported food.
The content of functional ingredients such as vitamins and minerals contained in food must meet more than 30% of the daily intake value and must not exceed the maximum content standard (see Section 5 on Claim Requirements).

5. Method of labeling or advertisement for food with functional labeling according to article 6 of Regulation on the Food Labeling and Advertisement that is not recognized as improper labeling and advertisement [8].

When displaying functionality, the phrase “This product is not a health functional food” must be displayed on the main display panel.
When advertising functionality, the statement “This product is not a health functional food” must be included.
The product is labeled as “ooo contains functional raw materials or ingredients ooo that are known to help with functionality.”

6. Submission of data for food with functional labeling according to Article 7 of Regulation on the Food Labeling and Advertisement that is not recognized as improper labeling and advertisement [8].

Data such as product name, business name, functional ingredient name, content, etc. must be disclosed on the website of the Korea Food Industry Association at http://adf.kfia.or.kr/company/open/openData.do?menuKey=406

7. Process, cost, and timeline (http://adf.kfia.or.kr/company/contents/intro/process.do?menuKey=389)

Submission → reviewing → notification → if approved, labeling is possible
Documents: Product details including product name, formulation, manufacturing process, packaging method packing unit, etc.
Estimated cost: 165,000 Korean Won
Duration of process: about 20 days

4.7 Additional Notes on Labeling

1. Functionality labeling for General Foods does not apply to alcoholic beverages, foods for special medical purposes, formula milk, foods for young children under 36 months, and foods for pregnant and lactating women.

2. The following labeling cannot be labeled.

Content related to health-sensitive groups such as children, pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly. Example: Improving memory for students, height growth in children, and cognitive ability improvement in the elderly.
Content related to male and female sexual function or genital health. Example: sperm motility, vaginal health.

3. The phrase below must be labeled:

The statement “This product is not a health functional food.”
Statement that the product is not intended to prevent or treat disease
Phrases recommending a balanced diet
A statement that if there is an adverse event, you need to stop taking it and consult an expert.
If the food contains more than 30% of the daily reference value of health functional food ingredients permitted for General Foods with functional labeling, the statement “This product is not a health functional food” must be included [3].