Regulatory round-up: South Korea’s customised nutrition, Hong Kong’s fish oil inspection, New Zealand’s policy revamp

Korean supplements no longer need to submit compliance certificate on carcinogen when sold to Europe: MFDS​​

Companies exporting dietary supplements from South Korea to Europe will no longer need to submit official certification showing its compliance to ethylene oxide levels set out by the European Commission.

South Korea’s Ministry of Drug and Food Safety (MFDS) announced the above in December, however, the exact date in which the requirement is officially lifted has yet to be announced as of December 22.  

The development comes as the European Union have updated the regulation (EU) 2019/1793 which states the need for certain food products from South Korea to produce official certification on its ethylene oxide levels. 

‘Sparing no effort’: South Korea plans regulatory revamp to support customised nutrition industry ​​ ​

South Korea’s food and drug authority is currently looking at ways to support the country’s customised nutrition industry, such as making changes to existing regulations and “will spare no effort” in doing so, said a key figure at the ministry.

The customised health functional food service has been introduced as a pilot project​ in South Korea since June 2020.

Two years on, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) is planning to institutionalise the sector by introducing regulations to support its growth.

Devil will be in the detail: New Zealand a step closer to natural health products regulatory revamp​ 

New Zealand is now a step closer to a new regulatory environment governing natural health products, as the government has introduced the long-awaited Therapeutic Products Bill in the parliament.

The New Zealand natural health products (NHPs) industry has been clamouring for new regulations for years. Although a Natural Health Products Bill was introduced in 2011, it was withdrawn​ after six years of going through parliamentary processes in 2017 following a change in government.

Five years on, the government formally introduced​ a new bill for NHPs, known as the Therapeutic Products Bill on 30 November last year.  

Extra caution: Fish oil sold in Taiwan to comply with new labelling rules from 2024​

Health foods containing fish oil and red yeast rice sold in Taiwan will need to comply with new labelling rules from January 1, 2024.

The labelling rules are pertaining to the groups of individuals who should exercise extra caution when taking these products.

In the case of health food with fish oil, warning statement such as “infants, pregnant women, patients with diabetes mellitus or people with abnormal blood coagulation taking anticoagulant are suggested to seek doctor’s recommendations before consumption​” should be printed on the product packaging.

FDA’s takedown of NMN raises fairness, transparency concerns​

NMN, an anti-aging ingredient, has been disallowed by the US FDA because of its prior investigation as a drug. The determination, which came as something of a surprise given the ingredient’s market history, has raised questions of fairness and transparency.

The Agency made this determination after having been made aware of recent drug studies on the ingredient. This came while doing due diligence on a recent New Dietary Ingredient Notification filed by Chinese firm Kingdomway.

Sources said that this move could fuel the suspicions within the dietary supplement industry that the Agency seeks ways to favour drug makers.