[Press Release, Jun 29, 2020 / unofficial translation] Creation and reorganization of food types to promote the customized food industry - Advance administrative notice of amendment to the 「Food Standards and Specifications」; types created for meal kit, menu-based diet management foods - □ The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Minister Lee Eui-Kyung) will announce an advance administrative notice on June 29 on the revision of the 「Food Standards and Specifications」 notice, which calls for the establishment of a new food type for the simple-cooking set* (meal kit) and the menu-based diet management food. * Simple-cooking set (meal kit): A kind of home meal replacement, this product is designed to be easily cooked and taken by consumers by enclosing ingredients such as trimmed vegetables,spices, and its recipes. ○ The amendment was taken in accordance with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s “measures to boost the vitality of the food industry in the field of customized and special food.” - It is designed to respond to changes in trends, including the growth of the meal kit products and customized products for patients with chronic illnesses and senior citizens, and revitalize the food industry. □ The main content of the revision includes the establishment of a menu-based diet management food type for special medical-purpose food, the establishment of a viscosity standard for elderly-friendly food products and the establishment of a simple-cooking set type for instant and convenient-to-consume food products. ○ The special medical-purpose food classification system will be reorganized into, ▲standard-type nutrition-prescribed foods, ▲customized nutrition-prescribed foods, and ▲the menu-based diet management food type, and foods for patients will be subdivided into each disease such as diabetes, kidney disease, and intestinal diseases. - A new type for menu-based diet management food will be created so that patients with chronic diseases whose nutrition management is important can take meals like lunch box or simple-cooking set easily and conveniently at home. - The food types and manufacturing standards were established for diabetics and kidney patients first, and they will be expanded to other chronic diseases like high blood pressure for which there will be demand. ○ While the criteria and standards of elderly-friendly foods are set separately, viscosity standards (over 1,500 mpa·s*) have been established for drink-type elderly-friendly foods. * Older people tend to get something caught in the windpipe easily when drinking beverages, so increasing the viscosity to a certain level (the level of thick fermented milk) can prevent getting something caught in the windpipe. ○ It is expected that the reform of the special medical-purpose food and elderly-friendly food systems will contribute to the development of a potential market for more than 29 trillion won and the improvement of public health. * Assume diabetic and renal failure patients (3,310,934 people, 2018) take diet management food every day (unit price 8,000 won) ** If renal failure patients delay the progress of renal failure by one year through diet management, medical expenses can be reduced by 165 billion won per year (as of 2018, 8.8 million won per person with chronic kidney disease × annual increase of about 25,000 patients) - Now food products which are difficult for patients with chronic diseases and senior citizens to consume can be developed in consideration of nutritional requirements and convenience of consumers, which is expected to help improve the quality of people’s lives. ○ In view of the rapid growth of the market for meal kit foods that can be easily cooked at home, a new type for simple-cooking set (meal kit) was created. * Of the home meal replacement, the newly emerging market for meal kit products was only 20 billion won in 2017, but it is expected to grow to 700 billion won in 2024. - To reflect the characteristics of the meal kit products, the government plans to apply the safety standards* on food poisoning bacteria to ingredients consumed without heating. * To prevent cross-contamination, poultry meat should be packed separately, and food poisoning bacteria standards on salmonella and intestinal hemorrhagic coliform are applied to the ingredients taken without heating. □ Meanwhile, the revision bill includes ▲recognition of Watasenia scintillans and Japanese cucumber as food ingredients, ▲establishment of cannabidiol standard for hemp seed and hemp seed oil, ▲creation, strengthening and revision of residue permission standard (MRLs) for 136 pesticides, including iminoctadine, and ▲revision of MRLs for seven animal medicines including linkomycin, revision of glyphosate MRLs for livestock products * (Cannabidiol) hemp seed: 10 mg/kg or less, hemp seed oil: 20 mg/kg or less □ The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said that it expects the reform of criteria and standards to help revitalize the food industry and improve the quality of life of the people, and will continue to strengthen the food safety while continuously lifting regulations unrelated to safety. ○ Details are available on the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's website (www.mfds.go.krwww.mfds.go.kr > statute and data > legislation/administrative notice), and opinions on the revision (proposal) can be submitted by July 20, 2020.