President Yoon Tae-jin of Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster gives a speech at an on-line FOODPOLIS Industry Symposium on the aging-friendly food industry on Nov. 26.

Two tenant companies of FOODPOLIS, a new industrial cluster being built in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, obtained Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certifications under a GMP facility certification support program by the Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster.

Good Manufacturing Practices are practices that businesses are required to conform to in order to certify quality management of all production stages, from the supply of raw materials to product fabrication and packaging.

Health functional food makers are required to obtain GMP certifications. In 2018, GMP certifications were mandatory for only companies who posted more than 2 billion won in annual sales.

In 2019, the requirement was expanded to cover firms with more than 1 billion won in sales. Firms with less than 1 billion won in sale are also required to obtain GMP certifications, effective December.

Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster has implemented the GMP facility certification support program with a focus on a pilot plant team as the demand from GMP certifications from health functional food makers has increased. Neo Cremar and K Bio have benefited from the program.

A K Bio official said, “K Bio is fitted with GMP facilities that can guarantee the safety and efficacy of health functional foods, using bio-type medicinal materials through Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster’s GMP certification support program, and we’ll repay customers with good quality products.”

A Neo Cremar official expressed satisfaction toward the Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster, saying, “As concern on the immunity is mounting in the wake of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemics, we, a health functional food maker, expect GEM and ODM projects to boost sales.”

President Yoon Tae-jin of the Cluster said, “GMP and HACCP facility and certification support projects will contributed to helping tenant companies secure competitiveness, and we’ll make efforts to create a business-friendly environment by supporting a new smart HACCP designed to create a cluster test-bed of a regional center next year.”

A view of Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster headquarters in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do. (Photos: Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster)

Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster Hosts Symposium

The Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster held an online FOODPOLIS Industry Symposium on the aging-friendly food industry on Nov. 26.

The symposium was jointly hosted by the institute, the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition and the Korea Food Industry Association.

Chairman Kang Kil-joon of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition gave a key-note lecture on the understanding of the aging period and the necessity for foods for the aged. President Kim Jae-hwan of Neo Cremar presented a case practice.

Director Song Jae-won in charge of food industry policy at the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, explained about the development and policies of the aging-friendly food industry. A final session had discussions. Aging-friendly foods, now put on the market, were introduced and tasted in person.

 
The symposium ended with participants expressing hope of boosting the aging–friendly food industry.