MFDS Conducts Nationwide Inspection of Popular Food Products for Seollal Holiday

Stock photo of holiday ritual offerings. The photo is not related to the article. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 2nd that it will conduct an intensive inspection of hygiene management for Lunar New Year seasonal foods nationwide in cooperation with local governments from the 3rd to the 9th.

This inspection targets a total of about 2,800 places, including manufacturers of health functional foods, livestock products, Hangwa (traditional Korean confections), and traditional liquor, which are highly consumed as gifts and ritual foods during the Lunar New Year, as well as businesses that prepare and sell ritual foods.

The main inspection items include ▲unregistered (unreported) manufacturing and sales ▲use or sale of products past their consumption (distribution) expiration date ▲compliance with refrigeration and freezing storage standards ▲and hygienic handling of food.

Along with hygiene inspections, the Ministry will also strengthen sampling and testing at distribution stages and inspection at customs stages for gift and ritual foods. For foods in the distribution stage, about 1,800 samples including apples, pears, rice cakes, Hangwa, dried yellow corvina, traditional liquor, packaged meat, and health functional foods will be collected and tested for residual pesticides, heavy metals, and food poisoning bacteria.

Violating businesses will be subject to administrative actions according to relevant laws, and non-compliant products will be promptly recalled and destroyed to prevent their circulation in the market.

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