The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said on the 11th that ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday it inspected a total of 7,435 businesses that manufacture, import, prepare, or sell gift and ancestral rite foods, uncovered 158 locations (2.1%) that violated the Food Sanitation Act and the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act, among others, and asked the competent authorities to take administrative action.
According to the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety that day, the inspection was carried out with 17 local governments nationwide from the 19th to the 23rd of the previous month. It covered agricultural and marine products (mushrooms, fruit, fish, etc.), livestock products (packaged meat and fresh meat, beef bone soup, grilled short rib patties, ham gift sets, etc.), health functional foods, and ritual foods. Along with the inspection, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety conducted collection and testing of holiday gift and ancestral rite foods in distribution and carried out thorough inspections at the customs clearance stage for imported foods. To prevent consumer harm from improper online advertising, it also conducted a focused review of online advertising posts.
In the food sector, including alcoholic beverages, processed foods, and prepared foods, a total of 121 locations were uncovered. Major violations were: ▲ breaches of hygienic handling standards such as poor cleanliness management of kitchens (34 locations) ▲ violations of operator compliance requirements such as storing products past the consumption deadline (24) ▲ facility standards violations (12) ▲ self-quality inspection violations (6) ▲ failure to complete hygiene training (5) ▲ failure to undergo health checkups (35).
In the livestock products sector (packaged meat and fresh meat, beef bone soup, grilled short rib patties, ham gift sets, etc.), violations of the law were found at a total of 37 locations. ▲ violations of operator compliance requirements such as storing products past the consumption deadline (9) ▲ failure to draft or operate hygiene management standards (4) ▲ labeling standards violations (4) ▲ failure to complete hygiene training (3) ▲ failure to undergo health checkups (10).
Tests were conducted for pesticide residues, heavy metals, and food poisoning bacteria on a total of 2,723 samples collected from processed and prepared foods such as traditional sweets, rice cakes, savory pancakes, and seasoned seaweed in domestic distribution; health functional foods such as vitamins and red ginseng; and agricultural, livestock, and marine products such as mushrooms, yellow croaker, and packaged meat. Of the 2,452 samples for which testing has been completed so far, all met the standards and specifications. Seven were judged noncompliant and will be subject to administrative action and disposal by the competent authorities.
At the customs clearance stage, thorough inspections were conducted for heavy metals, veterinary drugs, and pesticide residues on a total of 614 cases, including processed foods such as vegetable oils (soybean oil, perilla oil, etc.); agricultural, livestock, and marine products such as mushrooms, marinated meat, and pollock; and health functional foods such as multinutrient products. Of the 585 cases for which testing has been completed so far, all met the standards and specifications, and five were judged noncompliant and will be returned to the exporting countries or disposed of.
In addition, a review of 280 online advertising posts for foods promoted as improving immunity, gut health, and other functions—whose consumption is expected to increase as Lunar New Year gifts—found 51 cases (18.2%) of false or exaggerated advertising.
Major violations were: ▲ 29 ads (56.9%) that could lead consumers to believe the food prevents or treats disease ▲ 21 ads (41.2%) that could lead consumers to mistake ordinary foods for health functional foods ▲ 1 ad (1.9%) that could lead consumers to view foods as drugs.
Businesses uncovered in this inspection will be rechecked within six months after administrative action by the competent regional Ministery of Food and Drug Safety office or local government to confirm whether violations have been corrected, and for imported foods found noncompliant at customs inspection, if the same products are imported in the future, thorough inspections (five consecutive times) will be conducted.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said, "When purchasing health functional foods online, consumers should carefully check the health functional food mark and functional content and be cautious not to be misled by improper ads that tout unverified medical efficacy or effects."