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South Korea food safety inspections reveal 150 violations
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, in collaboration with local governments, conducted a large-scale safety inspection of 8,242 companies handling food for the Chuseok holiday. The inspection targeted manufacturers, importers, and retailers of health functional foods, traditional sweets, agricultural, fishery, and livestock products.
As a result, 150 companies were found to be in violation of the Food Sanitation Act and other regulations, prompting requests for administrative action. The most common violation was the failure to conduct required health examinations for employees (51 cases), followed by inadequate cleanliness in cooking areas (40 cases). Other violations included storing products past their expiration dates and failing to install pest control facilities.
In terms of product safety, 10 out of 1,966 tested samples failed to meet standards for pesticides, heavy metals, or foodborne bacteria. Additionally, during customs inspections of 476 imported items, carrots, whiteleg shrimp, and probiotics were flagged for non-compliance and will be returned or destroyed.
The Ministry also monitored online advertisements, identifying 47 cases of false or exaggerated claims out of 300 inspected posts. Many advertisements falsely claimed that general food products could prevent or treat diseases or misled consumers into believing they were health functional foods. Furthermore, 308 violations were detected regarding the advertising and distribution of quasi-drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices.
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- [● 4 SOURCES] Failure to conduct health examinations was the most frequent violation, with 51 cases. www.kyeonggi.com · idsn.co.kr · sateconomy.co.kr
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety inspected 8,242 companies and found 150 violations of food hygiene laws. www.kyeonggi.com · idsn.co.kr · sateconomy.co.kr
- [● 4 SOURCES] 47 out of 300 inspected online food advertisements were found to be false or exaggerated. www.kyeonggi.com · idsn.co.kr · sateconomy.co.kr
- [● 4 SOURCES] Three imported items—carrots, whiteleg shrimp, and probiotics—will be returned or destroyed due to non-compliance. www.kyeonggi.com · idsn.co.kr · sateconomy.co.kr
- [● 2 SOURCES] 308 cases of illegal distribution and false advertising were detected in quasi-drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices. www.kyeonggi.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] 10 out of 1,966 tested food samples were found to be non-compliant with safety standards. www.kyeonggi.com · idsn.co.kr · sateconomy.co.kr