E-Malt.com News article: South Korea: Korea relaxes food additive standards to enhance non-alcoholic beer flavor

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety recently announced plans to relax food additive standards to allow the use of modified hop extract in non-alcoholic beer. Previously, this ingredient was only permitted for use in regular beer, and this measure aims to enable its application in non-alcoholic products as well. With this revision, domestic non-alcoholic beer is expected to further achieve a 'beer-like taste', Chosunbiz reported on July 28.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety completed a complete revision of the 'Standards and Specifications for Food Additives' on the 22nd. The Ministry stated, "This revision was made to enhance user convenience by restructuring the standards and specifications of food additives to meet international regulatory levels while rationally improving the usage standards of food additives to support the development of diverse food products." Until now, modified hop extract was only permitted in beer and could not be applied to non-alcoholic beer, which is not classified as alcoholic.

Non-alcoholic beer is a rapidly growing category both domestically and internationally. However, it has often been criticized for not matching the taste and aroma of regular beer. Consumer feedback has particularly pointed to the weak flavor and bitterness characteristic of hops.

According to Food Safety Korea, modified hop extract is a processed component stabilized by hydrogen treatment of extracts obtained from the fruits of the hop plant (Humulus lupulus L.), which belongs to the Moraceae family. It is manufactured by extracting with hexane or carbon dioxide and then adding hydrogen or sodium borohydride for reduction and purification. This component ensures that the unique bitterness of beer is stably maintained, even when exposed to external conditions such as sunlight, heat, and oxygen. Regular hops can develop unpleasant odors due to photo-chemical reactions when exposed to light, with some in the industry jokingly referring to it as having a 'fart smell.'

An industry insider noted, "Because modified hop extract has less light-induced oxidation, it allows for packaging designs in clear bottles or PET bottles." The insider added, "By enabling the use of modified hop extract in non-alcoholic beer, it can not only improve flavor but also enhance the overall consumer experience." The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "Regular hops are easily oxidized when exposed to light, leading to distribution only in brown bottles or cans, and we intend to revise the usage standards to allow the use of non-oxidizing modified hop extract in non-alcoholic beer to alleviate the concerns of operators."

Modified hop extract is already widely used in the domestic and international beer industries. In Korea, it is used in OB's 'Cass,' HiteJinro's 'Terra,' and LOTTE Chilsung Beverage's 'Cloud,' while global brands like Heineken and Corona also add it for quality stabilization. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes this ingredient and clearly stipulates its intended uses and permissible quantities. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is also organizing its management system in line with international standards.

An industry insider mentioned, "For craft beer, there is a strong tendency to emphasize the inherent characteristics of fresh hops to preserve flavor diversity and complexity, so compared to mass-produced beers, modified hop extract is used less in craft beers." Another insider added, "It is feasible to use modified hop extract mainly for the use of 'clear bottles' rather than for flavor purposes."

This revision includes changes related to various additives besides modified hop extract. First, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety decided to subdivide the additive classification system into 'general food additives,' 'processing aids,' and 'nutritional enhancers.' Additionally, it plans to allow seven items, including vitamin K1 and gluconic acid manganese, to be used in general foods. Previously, these were only permitted for health functional foods and special medical purpose foods, but the Ministry explained that it aims to relax regulations on usage in response to the growing demand for personalized nutritional enhancement foods that consider individual health and nutritional status.

For 10 components, including vitamin B2 and magnesium oxide, new uses such as colorants and anti-caking agents will be added to the existing applications. It is planned to clarify classifications by improving components and specifications for 39 enzyme items. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "We plan to proactively respond to changes in the distribution and consumption environment and to rationally improve the standards and specifications for food additives to actively support the safe and diverse development of food products."


29 July, 2025