Korean chili paste, ginseng products receive int'l recognition

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Nov. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's traditional chili paste and
ginseng-derived products have effectively received recognition as distinct foods
by an international standard-setting commission, the government said Monday.

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the food
standards forwarded by South Korea on chili paste called "gochujang" in Korean
and dried and liquid extracts of ginseng have passed seven review processes by
the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex).
Codex members usually pass motions after foods go through an eight-tier review
system.
"Once the motion is approved, exports of both should receive a boost, while at
the same time helping advertise to the world the excellent qualities of
traditional Korean foods and beverages," a government official said. He added
that the final vote on recognition should take place in 2009.
Gochujang is a spicy sauce made from powdered red chili peppers, salt and
vinegar, while the ginseng root is widely used as a health food and dietary
supplement.
Seoul has made a determined effort to have ginseng recognized as a food and
beverage because some countries have insisted that it be classified as medicine.
The distinction is important since medicinal substances are subject to different
import rules than ordinary food, which make trading more difficult.
The latest decision by Codex members, who met in Indonesia, follows the
recognition of kimchi as a distinct international dish in 2001, and is a good
sign that Korean bean paste may also be classified as a unique food. The
fermented bean paste is widely used in soups and sauces.
South Korea's request for approval for bean paste has cleared four reviews so far.
The commission, created in 1962 by the World Health Organization and the Food and
Agriculture Organization, is tasked with developing food standards.
It has 172 members, with South Korea joining its ranks in 1970.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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