From probiotics in Indonesian processed foods to functional food labelling in South Korea, Vitafoods Insights gives an overview of the latest regulatory updates from across the Asian continent.
On 14 February, the Indonesian National Agency for Drug and Food Control (BPOM in Indonesian) ratified types of microorganisms that can be used in processed foods.
The regulations stipulate 16 kinds of probiotics that are allowed to be added to ordinary food – including Bacillus coagulans, Bifidobacterium animalis, and Lactobacillus acidophilus – and stipulate the conditions for adding probiotics.
On 7 March, China’s National Health Commission published its National Food Safety Standard: Formulas for Special Medical Purposes Intended for Infants (GB 25596). This standard specifies technical requirements that apply to formulas for special medical purposes for infants aged 0-12 months old.
Based on the latest scientific data, the compositional requirements were revised for some nutrients, including vitamin A and vitamin D, while six more product categories were developed.
On 7 March, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) asked all commissioners of food safety, plus all of its central licensing authorities and regional directors, to carry out a special enforcement drive to check the quality and safety of nutraceuticals and health supplements products being sold on the market.
The FSSAI order came after it received complaints about many of these products not complying with the prescribed norms under the FSS Act.
On 8 March, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety released amendments to the Regulation on Exceptions of Prohibited Labels and Advertisements of Food Function Claims. The revision clarifies the ambiguous requirements outlined in the original regulation, first published in December 2020, to better guide the industry.
When setting recommended daily intake amounts for functional materials, the daily intake of “individually recognised ingredient” will now become a reference, in addition to recommended daily intake.
In addition, the application precedence of related regulations has been clarified and the recommended daily intake for indigestible maltodextrin has been modified.
