The fourth Asia-Pacific Food Regulatory Authority Summit (APFRAS 2026) was held in Seoul, South Korea, from May 11 to 12.
Hosted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), the event gathered food regulatory authorities from 14 countries, including Australia, Brunei, China, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and the US, as well as international organizations.
New participating countries this year included Canada and Mongolia.
Under the theme of “A Strategic Leap Toward the Asia-Pacific Food Regulatory Harmonization and Partnership”, topics such as digital transformation of food safety management and opportunities for enhanced regional collaboration were discussed.
In addition, participants deliberated on ways to strengthen regulatory harmonization and cooperation in response to rapidly evolving global food systems and increasing complexity in international trade.
During the conference, time was also set aside to discuss export difficulties faced by Korean companies and necessary institutional improvements with regulatory authorities from major exporting countries.
For instance, the KHFF had a meeting with the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration, or Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan (BPOM), to talk about the key regulatory issues for local health functional food companies entering the Indonesian market.
The major difficulties experienced by industry players during the process of exporting to Indonesia include probiotic registration standards, classification and registration system, the grace period for mandatory halal certification of health supplements, and food registration standards for red ginseng products.
Participants exchanged opinions on strategies to improve the regulatory framework and expand information exchange.
The KHFF plans to continue supporting local companies’ venture into global markets by collaborating with relevant agencies, including the MFDS, to actively identify export-related difficulties and maintain communication with regulatory agencies in major export countries.
“The adoption of the AFRAS Seoul 2026 Declaration demonstrates that food regulatory cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is expanding beyond information sharing to substantive discussions on regulatory harmonization,” said KHFF chairman Jeong Myung-su.
“The domestic health functional food industry also looks to increase global market trust and strengthen its foundation for overseas expansion based on scientific evidence and quality competitiveness.”
Fostering regional cooperation
Established in 2023 as a consultative platform for food regulatory cooperation in the APAC region, APFRAS aims to promote international collaboration and science-based approaches to food safety management.
South Korea has led its operations as the chair country since its launch.
At APFRAS 2026, discussions were focused on alignment with Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) standards, science-based regulatory approaches, and efforts to address non-tariff barriers through enhanced bilateral and regional partnership.
The programme also included exchanges on safety management of recycled plastic containers and packaging, and food and beverage safety measures for large-scale international events.
Participants took the chance to share their experiences and information on national food safety systems, and to discuss opportunities on strengthening communication and technical cooperation among regulatory authorities across the region.
