The Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced a proposed amendment to its Health Functional Food Standards and Specifications on October 23, 2026. It is an administrative notice, not an enacted ban. Comments may be submitted until December 23. The final text and effective date must be checked in a later official notice. The announcement does not by itself establish that any currently sold product is illegal or recalled.
What would the proposed mixing restriction cover?
MFDS proposes a common manufacturing standard barring the combined use of functional ingredients carrying liver-disease-related consumption cautions. Its release lists 15 ingredients: five generally listed ingredients, including garcinia, conjugated linoleic acid, glucosamine, green-tea extract and red-yeast rice, plus ten individually recognized ingredients. This is a proposed restriction on a defined combination, not a rule against combining every supplement ingredient. The ingredient name on a product, its actual formula and the final official standard matter more than a marketing category.
| Reader question | What the October 23 release actually says | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Is a currently sold supplement with two ingredients automatically prohibited? | A proposed manufacturing restriction on mixing functional ingredients with the specified liver-related cautions | Illegality or recall of every existing product before a final rule |
| What does the proposed “below 30%” threshold mean? | When a functional ingredient is used as an other ingredient in manufacturing, the proposal lowers its permitted level to below 30% of the prescribed daily intake | Advice to consumers to take only 30% of every serving |
| Does removal of the probiotic upper bound recommend megadoses? | A proposal to remove the upper end of the daily-intake standard | A recommendation to take high-dose products, or evidence the current standard has already changed |
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A practical label-check sequence
First, read the actual product label for the functional ingredient name, suggested daily intake and cautions, rather than inferring its formula from the brand or product name. If you take several supplements, check the labels of each. The proposed rule concerns how health-functional foods are manufactured; it does not certify that taking different products together is safe. People with liver disease or suspected adverse reactions should discuss their own conditions, medicines and symptoms with a clinician or pharmacist. A recall or enforcement action against an identified product would require a separate official notice.
The same consultation proposes three additional sources for the manufacture of magnesium, iron and folate, changes to the manufacturing standard for EPA/DHA-containing oils, and revisions to probiotics’ daily-intake criterion. None of these proposed changes should be described as already in force. A final notice may change the wording and start date.
What to watch next
The consultation period ends December 23, 2026. Check the MFDS website for the final standard and effective date after publication; the release and PDF below describe the proposal as announced on October 23. This article does not assess a specific product’s legality, safety or an individual’s dosage.
About the Author
Life Mokcha editor Mokchajigi separates a proposal from the current rule and lists what consumers can verify on a label today.
