853 Cases of Nonconforming Korean Export Food Products in 2023… 78 Cases Increased from Previous Year
Food Safety Information Center: “Confirm the laws and standards of the other country… Comply with labeling standards”
While exports of major K-food items such as ramen (fried noodles) and kimchi hit an all-time high last year, the total number of nonconforming cases of Korean exported food products in the past three years (2021-2023) was 853, an increase of 32.0% (78 cases) year-on-year in 2023. In particular, the increase in the number of nonconforming cases in 2023 compared to 2022, when it decreased compared to 2021, was identified as being due to an increase in the number of nonconforming cases in the United States and China.
The Korea Food Safety Information Service announced on the 8th that it will release a report titled ‘Analysis of Trends in Nonconformity of Korean Exported Food Products’ that analyzes cases of nonconformity of Korean exported foods over the past three years.
Since 2016, the information source has been analyzing and providing trends in nonconformity of Korean exported food products and country-specific cases announced by five major countries (the United States, China, Japan, Taiwan, and the EU).
By country, the number of nonconformity cases announced in the US was the highest among the five countries over the past three years at 391 cases (45.8%), followed by China (238 cases) and Japan (113 cases). In addition, as a result of analyzing the causal factors of nonconformity products announced in the US and China, it was found that in 2023, the US will see an increase in the inclusion of hazardous substances, unsanitary processing, and violation of labeling standards, while in China, the number of cases of failure to obtain inspection and quarantine permits and expiration of the quality maintenance period will increase.
Looking at the overall status by causal factor, violations of labeling standards were the most prevalent at 460 cases (37.2%), and non-conformances to labeling standards that occurred in the United States accounted for 87.2% of all violations of labeling standards over the three-year period (’21-’23).
A closer look reveals that in the case of the United States, the overall number of nonconformities in exported foods (by product) decreased in 2022, but increased by about 2 times in 2023 compared to the previous year. Among these, nonconformity in labeling has ranked first for three consecutive years, decreasing significantly in 2022, but increasing again in 2023 compared to the previous year. By detailed cause of nonconformity in labeling standards over the three years, non-labeling in English (77 cases), non-labeling of ingredients such as non-labeling of raw materials used in manufacturing and processing (71 cases), and non-labeling of nutritional information (60 cases) accounted for 55.6% of nonconformity in labeling.
The overall status of nonconformity in exported food to China has been increasing every year for the past three years. In particular, the number of nonconformities related to failure to obtain inspection and quarantine permits for ramen exported to China in 2023 has increased sharply, and among them, there were 12 cases of non-obtainment of inspection and quarantine permits for food containing animal-derived ingredients. China requires that exported products containing animal-derived raw materials obtain an ‘Entry-Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit’ in advance according to the ‘Entry-Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Act’ and related regulations.
The total number of nonconformities in Japanese exported foods has been decreasing every year for the past three years. In the past three years, microbiological nonconformities occurred the most in processed foods exported to Japan (55 cases, 45.1%), with processed aquatic products (17 cases) accounting for the majority. In particular, microbiological nonconformities were concentrated in processed aquatic products (31 cases) over the past five years, and most of them were violations of coliform bacteria (16 cases) and bacterial counts (7 cases) applicable to Japan’s non-heated frozen foods (23 cases).
The total number of nonconformities in Taiwan’s exported food products in 2023 is similar to the previous year. However, since grapes exported from April 2023 have been found to contain residual pesticides such as tetraniliprol (insecticide), the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration has taken measures such as strengthening sample inspections. Since then, as nonconformities have continued to occur, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs implemented a pre-registration system for grapes exported to Taiwan in May 2024, and no related nonconformities have occurred since then.
The total number of non-conformities in EU exported food products in 2023 decreased compared to the previous year. Iodine non-conformities in seaweed exported to the EU have been occurring steadily since 2016, and in 2023, two cases occurred for the first time in processed aquatic products such as seasoned laver. There are no mandatory iodine standards or specifications for seaweed and processed aquatic products in Europe, but some member states have established their own recommended standards, leading to recalls and other measures. Therefore, it is necessary to check the management standards of the exporting country before exporting.
Director Lee Jae-yong said, “When exporting food, it is necessary to thoroughly check the relevant laws and standards of the target country, manufacture accordingly, and make efforts to comply with labeling standards.”
He added, “If nonconformities continue to occur for the same reason in the same product, measures such as strengthened inspections may be taken against a specific company or all of our country’s exported foods, so it is important to make efforts to prevent the recurrence of nonconformities similar to those that occurred in the past.”
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2024-08-08 02:57:54