Recently, a series of incidents at food manufacturing plants, including fatalities caused by machinery accidents, have raised growing concerns that industrial accidents in these facilities may also lead to food contamination. In fact, according to the “2024 Status of Industrial Accidents” reported by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the incidence of industrial accidents in the food and beverage manufacturing sector has steadily increased, with an accident rate of 0.99% - nearly 83% higher than the average (0.54%) in all industries. This trend underscores the urgent need for enhanced safety measures within the industry to prevent harm to both the workers and food safety.
In response, the amended Food Sanitation Act (amended in January 2025) requires food business operators to take immediate action to prevent contamination and report to the Minister of Food and Drug Safety if any foreign substances are present or suspected in food due to industrial accidents during manufacturing or processing of food products. Moreover, the Guidelines for Handling Contamination Incidents in Food Manufacturing and Processing Industry announced in July 2025 set forth more detailed provisions regarding the measures and reporting obligations for business operators.
In particular, if foreign substances are directly mixed into food or food additives, or there is a risk of contamination due to industrial accidents - such as amputation, caught-in machinery, fire, explosion, and chemical leaks during the manufacturing or processing stages - food manufacturing/processing businesses, as well as food additive manufacturers, are required to first implement immediate preventive measures. These include the disposal of affected food and food additives and the disinfection of facilities. Subsequently, they must promptly report the contamination incident to the competent local authority using the prescribed format. Failure to implement such contamination prevention measures may result in imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to KRW 30 million; and failure to report contamination incidents or submitting false reports may result in administrative penalties, such as a five-day business suspension for first-time violations.
Since President Jae-Myung Lee took office in June 2025, his administration has shown a clear trend toward strengthening regulations across the entire food industry. Notably, the manufacturing and distribution sectors are expected to see various regulatory reforms, including strengthened safety management requirements, the establishment of obligations to respond promptly to contamination incidents, and the expansion of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) frameworks. These reforms aim to enhance overall food safety and corporate responsibility in the industry.
With the anticipated introduction of additional regulations and management policies for food safety, quality assurance, and consumer protection, food companies are advised to proactively review and strengthen their internal compliance frameworks and response systems.
