The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) conducted inspections of companies handling food products and offerings ahead of Chuseok, revealing numerous hygiene management failures and instances of unfair advertising.
On September 23, the MFDS announced that, in collaboration with local governments, it inspected 8,242 businesses involved in the manufacturing, importing, cooking, and selling of health supplements, traditional sweets, agricultural products, and livestock. Of these, 150 were found to be in violation of food hygiene laws and regulations.
Additionally, the agency reviewed 300 online advertisements for food products expected to attract consumer interest, identifying 47 instances of false or exaggerated claims.
Among the violations in the food sector, the most common issue was the failure to conduct health checks (51 cases), followed by inadequate cleanliness in food preparation areas (40 cases), storage of products past their expiration dates (9 cases), lack of pest control facilities (8 cases), and failure to report changes in business or product manufacturing (5 cases).
Four food manufacturers, including those producing red ginseng, were cited for falsely labeling and advertising ginsenosides and for misleading claims regarding the efficacy of their raw materials.
In the livestock sector, eight companies were found to have not conducted health checks. Testing of approximately 2,000 food items, including traditional liquor, sweets, health supplements, and agricultural products, revealed 10 items that did not meet safety standards due to pesticide residues, heavy metals, or foodborne pathogens.
The MFDS has requested administrative actions against the identified companies from the relevant authorities and plans to conduct follow-up inspections within six months to verify compliance with regulations. Any imported food products that fail customs inspections will undergo thorough checks upon future imports.
An MFDS official advised consumers to carefully check for health supplement marks and functional claims when purchasing health products online, urging them to be cautious of misleading advertisements.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.