Regulatory round-up: Policy updates from South Korea, Taiwan, Australia

Clear choices for children: South Korea launches ‘healthy food corners’ in convenience stores​

The South Korean government has launched specific ‘healthy food corners’ for kids in major convenience stores near schools.

The initiative is a joint project between the convenience store industry and the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), which saw the establishment of ‘healthy food corners’ at 104 convenience stores located near schools.

“The aim of these healthy food corners in convenience stores is to make it easier for children to identify and choose healthy and nutritious foods,”​ MFDS Minister Oh Yu-Kyoung said via a formal statement.

Tooth health products: Taiwan FDA plans to remove animal studies, set new clinical trial requirements​ 

The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to remove animal studies and revamp the human clinical trial requirements for health foods that make tooth health claims.

In Taiwan, health foods that make oral health claims can state the following “helps to increase the pH value of dental plaque in the oral cavity”, “helps to reduce the accumulation of dental plaque in the oral cavity”, “helps to reduce the number of Streptococcus mutans in the oral cavity,” ​or “helps to reduce the number of lactobacillus in the oral cavity”.​

In its recommendations, the Taiwan FDA has proposed to remove animal experiments for tooth health products on the grounds of animal welfare. 

‘High nonconformity?’: South Korea starts year-long inspection of probiotics imported from US, Europe​ 

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has begun a one-year long inspection order on specific probiotics products imported from North America and Denmark.

The inspection order, which is in effect from September 30 to September 29 next year, focuses on Health Functional Food (HFF) using probiotics as functional ingredients.

Firms impacted by the inspection order are US-based firms Lifebloom Corp, Essel Biopharm, Melaleuca, Denmark-based Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes, and Canada-based Natural Immix Health Limited.

Melatonin, green tea extract: Australian regulator considering changes to rules governing use in supplements​​

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has proposed changes to the scheduling of melatonin and green tea extract, with new dosage indications for the former and a completely new entry into the Poisons Standard for the latter.

A private applicant has submitted a proposal for the rescheduling of immediate-release melatonin to treat jetlag.

The current TGA scheduling permits modified-release tablets containing no more than 2 mg of melatonin for “monotherapy for the short-term treatment of primary insomnia” for adults aged 55 and above, “in packs containing not more than 30 tablets”.

Livestreaming, social commerce, influencer marketing…How much has APAC’s nutra sector progressed?​ 

Livestreaming, social and e-commerce have rose in popularity for the nutra sector since COVID-19 hit, but how far as it progressed, what are the secrets to success, and how are some of the pioneering brands and retailers capitalising?

At the same time, livestreaming has come under the attention of authorities who are concerned of livestreamers who make exaggerated, false, misleading claims – especially when it comes to health supplements.

For instance, when it comes to making health or functional claims, livestreamers must be conscious not to associate such claims with general food or products that are not ‘blue-hat’ certified.