South Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) is working with an industry partner, Huons Nature, in commercialising a kimchi-derived probiotic that has shown to be beneficial for immune health.
South Korea has finally laid out the governance rules for ‘elderly-friendly foods’ based on main ingredient ratios, with experts believing that this will have a significant impacts on a number of categories.
Nearly seven in 10 Koreans said they had bought and consumed health functional foods last year, according to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) involving 1,500 men and women aged 19 and above.
South Korea has published a list of almost 3,000 food and beverage products which are banned from being sold on school grounds for being too high in calories and low in nutritional value, or high in caffeine in the government’s latest attempt to ensure...
South Korean biotech company Huons is developing a functional ingredient based on goji berry together with Hanyang University to help improve muscle strength.
Italian frozen fruit snack company Frutteto will start manufacturing part of its products in Japan, its largest market, and is on-track to launch in China this year.
The timing of market entry, familiarity with regulations, and detailed consumer understanding are crucial for firms considering opportunities within Korea’s new General Foods with Function Claims policy, according to a regulatory expert in the country.
South Korea’s import of health functional foods was up 23.4 per cent last year, higher than the three-year annual average of 21.4 per cent, with the US taking the top spot in product volumes.
The South Korean regulator has said it will be issuing “Inspection Orders” on imported probiotics that have failed conformity tests three or more times in the past three years.
South Korea will start the third phase of its mandatory traceability programme for special purpose foods, while international brands selling co-enzyme Q10, fish oil and melatonin into China for the first time will still need to enter the market via the...
South Korea’s third phase of its mandatory traceability program for special purpose foods, including infant formula and Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs), will begin in December this year.
A study conducted on young men with pneumonia has shown that probiotics, when administered with antibiotics, could shorter the duration of fever and improve stool consistency.
Korea Yakult has launched a fermented red ginseng, made with a patented technology, to relieve menopausal symptoms and improve the immune system in middle aged women.
South Korea has announced that general foods can make functional claims so long as there is sufficient scientific evidence backing the claims, but experts have said they do not believe that it will be to the detriment of the nation’s functional foods...
South Korean direct-selling company Atomy, which sells health supplements, personal care and household items, is on an expansion spree and is set to enter New Zealand in March, and later in Turkey and the UK.
Problems with registration and ingredient compliance are some of the most common mistakes that nutraceutical firms have made when exporting their products to South Korea, according to a regulatory consultancy firm.
Sanofi-owner nutra brand Cenovis has launched a new hyaluronic acid drink exclusively for the South Korean market to cater to the needs of females in their 20s.
Kids protein shake maker Nutritional Growth Solutions (NGS) is planning to enter the Japanese, South Korean, and Australian markets next year via both online and offline channels.
South Korean food and functional health food company Pulmuone has launched a health nutraceutical brand specifically targeted at the online and mass market retail channel – a move away from its traditional door-to-door retail method.
A group of South Korean researchers is proposing the intake of sword bean and burdock to improve the immune system after yielding evidence from an eight-week RCT.
Consumption of Yakult’s synbiotic drink MPR03 daily for three weeks could improve bowel movement and alter the intestinal microbial composition in elderly Korean women.
South Korea has established CBD content limits for hemp foods in the country, as well as established meal kits as an individual new food category under regulatory governance after consumer demand for these soared during COVID-19.
South Korea is promoting the use of a beta-glucan rich barley in functional foods, following promising findings on how the ingredient could suppress obesity and osteoporosis.
South Korea dietary supplement firm AceBiome, the winner of NutraIngredients-Asia Probiotic Product of the Year, is adding new functionality to its portfolio, with a new cognitive health product currently in the works.
South Korea is developing functional food raw material from wheat germ in a bid to aid product development to help alleviate symptoms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
See September's 10 most read stories, including the launch of probiotic curd from Indian brand Milky Mist, the most commonly reported side effects of probiotics, omega-3 supplementation in South Korea and more.
L-carnitine supplementation has been shown to help reduce waist circumference and systolic blood pressure among people suffering from a range of health conditions, including diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, according to a meta-analysis.
There is a decline in the consumption of raw ginseng amongst South Koreans, with more preferring to consume ready-to-eat red ginseng products, said the Korea Ginseng Association.
The South Korean authorities has introduced a one-year long policy which requires all imported Antarctic krill products, including supplements, to be proven safe before they can be successfully imported into the country.
The South Korean authorities have published a guide to evaluate the functionality of health foods that make respiratory and gum health claims, amid rising consumer and industry interest in such products.
Probiotics, omega-3 DHA/EPA, and supplements containing the garcinia cambogia extract are linked to the majority cases of unwanted side effects linked to nutraceutical use in South Korea, health officials have reported.
South Korea is promoting the cultivation and use of homegrown botanicals – including liquorice, radish and astragalus – to create new functional foods, with officials believing COVID-19 will increase demand for these products.
The South Korean elderly population is consuming too much sodium and not enough calcium, phosphorous and potassium, according to a study by researchers at Shinhan University and Korea National University of Transportation.
An inspection and review conducted by South Korea’s authorities found that most of the supplements of questionable quality being sold only were from US brands.
Sesame leaves exported from South Korea has been approved as a functional food in Japan to help relieve pollen allergy and related symptoms such as eye discomfort.
South Korea will see the opening of 150 brick-and-mortar stores specialising in selling personalised nutrition products in the next two year as part of a pilot project, said the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).
Vitamin B12, K, and D are found in insufficient amount in breast milk amongst mothers from China, South Korea, Vietnam, and Pakistan, a study has found.
South Korean probiotic brand Youguth is planning to launch new products for pregnant women, to tap into what it believes to be the unmet needs of skin health as well as the more widely-known gut problems among these consumers.
Several domestic and imported probiotics brands in South Korea have been told to improve their product labelling following a report by the Korea Consumer Agency.
An eight-week RCT has shown that garlic chives (allium hookeri) extract is able to reduce the level of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in pre-diabetic individuals.
South Korean authorities are driving the globalisation of the country’s functional health foods by enhancing public-private partnership and supporting firms throughout the entire product lifecycle.