"We agree with the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety shortening the approval period for health functional foods. We are also considering working with platforms such as Coupang so consumers can see and recognize tailored health functional food information." (Oh Yu-Kyoung, Minister of the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety)
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety held the "Food and Drug Policy Link Regional On-site Open Forum" health functional food small business session on the 28th at the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise (KFME) Digital Education Center in Mapo, Seoul, to communicate directly with small and venture companies in the health functional food sector and craft policy.
The "Food and Drug Policy Link Regional On-site Open Forum" health functional food small business session was the fifth in the field-specific on-site communication series that began in September, following medical devices (Daegu office), imported food (Busan office), cosmetics (Daejeon office), and food and livestock products (Gwangju office), and was organized to hear directly from health functional food business operators.
Small business owners in the health functional food sector and officials from the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise (KFME) attended the event and freely shared opinions on the overall safety management system for health functional foods.
On-site participants raised a range of opinions, including clear distinctions between general foods and health functional foods, shortening approval times, and promoting the tailored health functional food system that took effect in March.
Regarding consumer confusion between products claiming functionality and health functional foods, Oh Yu-Kyoung of the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said, "The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety is well aware of this and is conducting reality surveys on consumer awareness and policy research to figure out how to reduce confusion."
The Minister also said, "We agree with shortening review times for approvals," adding, "We are reviewing ways to shorten review periods by increasing review personnel through realistic adjustment of approval fees." The Minister added, "Because fee adjustments require reviews by other ministries, we remain cautious for now."
The Minister also noted the importance of promoting tailored health functional foods. The Minister said, "We are considering working with platforms such as Coupang so consumers can see and recognize tailored health functional food information."
The Minister said, "The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety will further expand field-based communication that listens to the voices of the public and industry from the policy design stage and will prepare safe health functional food policies that the public can feel and policies that provide practical help to small business owners." The Minister added, "Safety is the top priority for the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, but we are reviewing areas where punishments are excessive due to procedural issues unrelated to safety," and said, "We are preparing amendments to the Health Functional Foods Act to address these areas."