Dispatches from Vitafoods Europe 2012

Korea’s health claim shake up set for next year

By Kacey Culliney from Geneva

- Last updated on GMT

"Changes to Korea's health claim regulations will increase business dramatically," Professor Shin says
"Changes to Korea's health claim regulations will increase business dramatically," Professor Shin says
Korea’s health claim regulations are set to change next year, enabling functionality claims to be made in general foods rather than just supplements, according to a previous Korea FDA member.

FoodNavigator-Asia spoke to Professor Yong Chul Shin, a previous member of the functional food committee on the Korean FDA, about the country’s current and future regulatory environment.

Shin said that Korea currently has strict health claim regulations covering supplements – “in Korea only supplements can be labelled with a health claim. Other general foods cannot be labelled with a functionality.”

However, he raised a few exceptions – nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and protein – are allowed to be labelled as the health associations are well known among consumers, he said.

Shin revealed that these regulations however, are set to change, as Korea’s FDA thinks the current system is very limiting and should be changed to include general foods.

He said that once the new regulations are implemented, Korea’s functional food market will soar.

Related topics Policy

Related news

Show more

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars

Food & Beverage Trailblazers