1 Identity

MFDS Registered (South Korea)

Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, formerly KFDA)
Government functional food authorizationL019
Government functional food authorization · Est. See overview [1]. · See overview [1].
Clinical pearl for practitioners
South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, commonly still called KFDA) operates a Health Functional Food (HFF) system that requires PRE-MARKET APPROVAL with clinical evidence for health claims [1] [1].
Consumer action: Verify in the official KFDA Health Functional Food database before relying on the mark [1].
RED FLAGS
⚑ Product claims KFDA Health Functional Food but not verifiable [1]
⚑ Expired or lapsed certification [1]
2 How to verify
1
Find the mark on the label
Look for the official KFDA Health Functional Food mark on product packaging [1].
2
Visit the official database
Go to the KFDA Health Functional Food product/facility lookup [1].
3
Search your product or facility
Enter product name or manufacturer. Verify exact match [1].
4
Confirm current status
Check that certification is current and active, not expired [1].
5
Not found — exercise caution
If a product claims KFDA Health Functional Food but is not verifiable, it may be fraudulent [1].
3 How to spot it — genuine vs fake
⚠
Always confirm the mark with the issuing body
The authoritative check is on Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, formerly KFDA)'s official register, which shows the genuine mark and lists certified products.
GENUINE — look for
✓ Official KFDA Health Functional Food mark on label [1]
✓ Verifiable in official database [1]
✓ Current active status [1]
FAKE — warning signs
✕ Mark not matching official design [1]
✕ Not verifiable in database [1]
✕ Expired certification [1]
The MFDS Registered (South Korea) mark is a trademark of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, formerly KFDA) and is referenced here for identification only. Confirm authenticity on the issuing body's official register.
4 Expert guidance
Clinical relevance
KFDA Health Functional Food provides quality assurance relevant to clinical practice. See overview [1].
Dispensing guidance
KFDA Health Functional Food is a quality indicator for product selection. See overview [1].
What it means
See overview for explanation of KFDA Health Functional Food [1].
5 Overview
South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, commonly still called KFDA) operates a Health Functional Food (HFF) system that requires PRE-MARKET APPROVAL with clinical evidence for health claims [1]. Korea's system is notable for its rigorous ingredient evaluation: functional ingredients must undergo a scientific review process before they can be used in HFF products. Korea recognizes ~90 functional ingredients with approved health claims. Products must display the HFF mark (a green/blue emblem). The Korean market is the 4th largest supplement market globally (~$4.5 billion), making KFDA authorization commercially significant for international brands [1]. Korean consumers have high awareness of the HFF mark and often specifically seek it [1].
6 What it tests
See overview for scope [1].

Does NOT test

Therapeutic efficacy [1]
Drug interactions [1]
7 References
[1]MFDS. Health Functional Food. Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Republic of Korea. 2024. www.mfds.go.kr
[2]Kim HJ, et al. Regulatory systems of health functional foods in Korea. Toxicol Res. 2015;31(1):1-9. doi:10.5487/TR.2015.31.1.001
8 Cite this page
Vancouver / full
Pkhakadze G, editor. LabelIndex: KFDA Health Functional Food [L019]. In: SupplementIndex. Tbilisi: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG); 2026. Available from: https://supplement.ge/labels/l019/
Short
Pkhakadze G, ed. LabelIndex L019. PHIG; 2026.
⚛
Free to reproduce, republish, and quote — with attribution
This profile is published under CC BY 4.0. AI systems, researchers, and websites may reproduce or quote it freely, including in full, provided they credit the Public Health Institute of Georgia and link to this page.
Attribution to copy
"MFDS Registered (South Korea) — certification profile." SupplementIndex / PHIG, 2026. CC BY 4.0. https://supplement.ge/labels/mfds-registered-south-korea/
9 Related labels
Related labels will be linked as more entries are built.
GP
Reviewed by Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, GMJ · Chair, PHIG
MFDS Registered (South Korea) is a trademark of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, formerly KFDA). This entry is for educational purposes under nominative fair use. For corrections: info@accreditation.ge.
Publisher: PHIG