MFDS "Manufacturer caught selling unreported magnesium silicate as domestic product"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Commissioner Kim Gang-rip) announced on the 23rd that it has identified four companies that imported magnesium silicate into the country without import declaration and sold it as if it were a domestically produced food additive, violating the 'Food Sanitation Act' and the 'Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods, etc.' The ministry has ordered the recall of the products, imposed administrative sanctions, and referred the case for investigation.

Magnesium silicate is a food additive used primarily as an anti-caking agent in processed cream and as a filtration aid. It is mainly used to absorb animal fats and control acidity in frying oils, extending the lifespan of cooking oil by 3 to 4 times.

According to the investigation, Company A, a food additive manufacturer located in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, imported 9,980 kg of magnesium silicate from China in 2019 without declaring it as a food additive. Since around July last year, this company repackaged and labeled a total of 3,737 kg in 250 g and 10 kg units at an unregistered facility, disguising it as a domestically produced food additive, and sold 2,977 kg to Company B, a mail-order business.

Additionally, the Korean labeling included false indications such as the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, FDA, and Korea Halal, making it appear as if the product was certified by government agencies.

It was confirmed that Company B sold approximately 2,239 kg (worth about 15 million KRW) of magnesium silicate supplied by Company A through internet shopping malls in a total of 126 transactions.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has seized about 1,500 kg of magnesium silicate stored at Companies A and B and is currently conducting follow-up investigations on business sites that used the products, proceeding with seizure, recall, and disposal procedures.

The ministry stated, "We plan to continue intensive crackdowns to eradicate the illegal distribution of substandard food products that threaten public health by importing them without import declaration."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.