Pesticide residue testing services for exporting Korean agricultural products

On March 17, 2023, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) issued import inspection instructions for processed fruit and vegetable products (frozen fruits).

 

Inspection time: 2023.3.20~2023.6.19

Inspection method: Products from the same manufacturer and the same product name are inspected once each.

*Additional inspections may be performed if necessary.

Inspection objects and inspection items:

 

Classification	Food type	Check item
Manufactured Food	Fruit and vegetable processed products   Made from 100% agricultural products   Simply processed frozen fruit products	510 pesticides and freezing specifications   （Total bacterial colonies, E. coli, etc.）

 

Violations in food exports from China to South Korea

 

According to statistics released by the Korean Food and Drug Administration, there were 294 cases of violations of agricultural and food products exported from China to South Korea in 2022.

 

It is worth noting that the number of violation cases reported due to excessive pesticide residues in 2022 has more than doubled compared with 2021!

Regulatory Requirements

Previously, the Korean Ministry of Food and Drugs (MFDS) updated the pesticide residue limit requirements for agricultural products exported to South Korea. There are 510 pesticide residue limit requirements for agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables, grains, etc., of which more than 75% have a limit value of 0.01mg/kg, and a qualified pesticide residue test report must be provided. It has increased the cost and difficulty for food companies to export to South Korea.