Safety First: Vietnam-South Korea digital food safety system, China seafood fraud, Japan counterfeit exports crackdown and more feature in our round-up

Collaborative safety: Vietnam completes new digital food safety management system in partnership with South Korea​

Vietnam has completed and recently launched its new digital food safety management system which was developed in partnership with South Korea, with a particular focus on food poisoning outbreak monitoring across the country.

This food safety management system partnership was implemented as part of the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme, where it aids developing markets in the promotion of economic development and social welfare.

The new system closely emulates South Korea’s own, and is meant to be an integrated version that has been localised according to local Vietnamese requirements but also comprises crucial components such as platforms to manage administrative information, laboratory information and public announcements.

Seafood fraud in China: Better traceability and labelling needed to protect consumers, threatened species​

Improved traceability procedures and an updated regulatory labelling system are urgently needed in China to prevent seafood fraud, according to new research

Researchers in China conducted label analysis and (DNA) molecular identification on Japanese seafood products (JSPs) sold on a Chinese e-commerce platform. They found that JSPs were not fully compliant with labelling standards and highlighted the need for better traceability and labelling to prevent seafood fraud.

This study highlights the prevalence of mislabelling and the use of ambiguous trade names in JSPs. For example, the use of umbrella trade names can obscure the identity of the species being sold.

Counterfeit countermeasures: Japan taps digital monitoring technology to crack down on fraudulent agri-food exports​

The Japanese government is cracking down on counterfeit agri-food product exports protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) scheme with the use of digital monitoring technology.

According to OECD data, Japan ranks seventh in terms of countries most affected by counterfeit activity, with some JPY74.1bn (US$492.7mn) of this attributable to counterfeit food products.

“Processed food products are a particularly important export sector for Japan as it makes up about JPY771.1bn (US$7.15bn) in export value and Japanese companies have a 2.2% global market share of this segment,”​ the Japan Patent Office said via a formal report.

Lack of communication on chronic disease patients’ herbal supplement use concerning: Saudi study​

Chronic disease patients in Saudi Arabia may consume an excessive amount of herbal supplements, with a lack of communication between them and their healthcare providers risking potential drug interactions, according to a recent study by researchers in the country.

In many cultures, including Saudi Arabia, the use of herbal supplements is deeply rooted in traditional medicine practices. Patients with chronic diseases often resort to herbal supplements either as complementary or alternative therapies alongside conventional treatments. Reasons for this may include perceived effectiveness, cultural beliefs, accessibility and sometimes, dissatisfaction with mainstream medical treatments. 

A concerning trend is has emerged among patients with chronic diseases: the widespread use of herbal supplements without proper consultation with healthcare providers. Potential health implications of this trend include interaction with conventional prescription medications, which is particularly critical for chronic disease patients who are often on multiple medications. Herbal supplements can interfere with drug absorption, metabolism or excretion, leading to reduced efficacy or more severe side effects.

Seafood scrutiny: South Korea to step up shellfish and egg inspections to prevent food poisoning outbreaks​

South Korea is to increase inspections and analysis of shellfish and egg products in order to cut down the risks of food poisoning outbreaks, most notably of norovirus and salmonella.

South Korea’s food safety authority Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) recently announced in a pan-government food poisoning countermeasures council meeting that it would be heading a government-wide strategy in 2024 to prevent outbreaks.

This collaborative approach is expected to involve 34 individual public organisations including central administrative agencies, local governments and public associations across the nation, as well as ministries such as the Ministry of Education.

“This government-wide response plan aims to strengthen food safety management and prevention in 2024 in order to reduce food poisoning outbreaks in South Korea,”​ MFDS Ministry Oh Yoo-kyung said via a formal statement.