Introduction of regulatory agencies by country

Countries : Republic of Korea
Government Regulatory agency for Imported Food Inspection : Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS)
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The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is in charge of ensuring the safety of food and medical products used in daily life. All staff of the Ministry are working their utmost to ensure people of a safe and healthy life. MFDS is responsible for promoting public health by ensuring the safety and effectiveness of foods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and cosmetics as well as supporting the food and pharmaceutical industry in Republic of Korea

Countries : United States of America
Government Regulatory agency for Imported Food Inspection : FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
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The FDA is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation

Countries : People’s Republic of China
Government Regulatory agency for Imported Food Inspection : General Administration of Customs of China (AQSIQ)
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AQSIQ is a ministerial administrative organ directly under the State Council of the People Republic of China in charge of national quality, metrology, entry-exit commodity inspection, entry-exit health quarantine, entry-exit animal and plant quarantine, import-export food safety, certification and accreditation, standardization, as well as administrative law-enforcement

Countries : Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Government Regulatory agency for Imported Food Inspection : Vietnam Food Administration (VFA)
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Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) is the management agency of the Ministry of Health. VFA assists the Minister of Health in the implementation of the state management on food safety of the domestic food and the imported food in the market in the whole country. VFA is the permanent agency of the Central Inter-ministerial Steering Committee on food safety

Countries : Australia
Government Regulatory agency for Imported Food Inspection : Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (Australia)
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Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (DAFF) works to enhance agricultural, fisheries and forestry industries. DAFF creates new and maintain existing agricultural export opportunities, to provide gains for Australian agriculture. DAFF manages biosecurity risks to Australia to protect multi-billion dollar agricultural industries and people’s way of life. DAFF engages with international counterparts to reinforce Australia’s role in shaping how the global agriculture and fibre sector addresses food security, productivity, trade, sustainability and the impacts of climate change

Countries : New Zealand
Government Regulatory agency for Imported Food Inspection : Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)
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The Ministry for Primary Industries is helping to seize export opportunities for primary industries, improve sector productivity, ensure the food that is produced is safe, increase sustainable resource use, and protect New Zealand from biological risk. The vision of MPI is that "New Zealand will be the world’s most sustainable provider of high-value food and primary products." The strategic plan of MPI sets out what MPI will do to increase the value of services, to boost the economic and environmental performance of New Zealand’s food and fibre sector, and to achieve the future they want for New Zealand

Countries : Kingdom of Thailand
Government Regulatory agency for Imported Food Inspection : Food and Drug Administration, Thailand (FDA THAI)
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The Food and Drug Administration, Thailand (FDA THAI) is the national regulatory body responsible for the registration, evaluation, and monitoring of food and drug products in Thailand. The vision of FDA THAI is to serve as the main organization for consumer protection and promotion of health products entrepreneurs, for the benefit of good health of the public.

Countries : Republic of Singapore
Government Regulatory agency for Imported Food Inspection : Singapore Food Agency (SFA)
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The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE). SFA is the national food agency overseeing food safety and food security in Singapore. With vision of safe food for all, mission of SFA is to ensure and secure a supply of safe food. To achieve the mission, SFA works closely with government agencies, businesses and consumers to manage food safety and security risks and drive the transformation of the agri-food sector through R&D and innovation

Countries : Republic of the Philippines
Government Regulatory agency for Imported Food Inspection : Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA Philippines)
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The Food and Drug Administration, Philippines (FDA Philippines) is a health regulatory agency under the Department of Health. With a vision for society that is to achieve a nation with well-informed consumers with access to regulated health products and with a vision for the organization that is to achieve an efficient regulatory agency providing modernized solutions in ensuring access to quality health products, the mission of FDA Philippines is to guarantee the access of the general public to safe, quality, pure and efficacious health products through sound and innovative regulations.

Country : Japan
Food Import Inspection Agency : MHLW, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
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The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) is the key authority responsible for overseeing food safety and quality in Japan, as well as for inspecting and regulating imported food. Based on the Food Sanitation Act, the MHLW rigorously supervises hygiene and safety throughout the stages of food production, distribution, and importation to protect public health. For imported food, quarantine stations conduct monitoring and other inspection procedures. Products that do not meet standards are subject to measures such as enhanced inspections. Providing information to domestic consumers and managing food recalls are also important responsibilities of the MHLW.

Country : Russia
Food Import Inspection Agency : Rosselkhoznadzor, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance
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The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation, operating under the Ministry of Agriculture, is responsible for the import quarantine and sanitary inspection of agricultural products, animal-derived goods, and processed foods, including food items. The agency enforces sanitary requirements, import approvals, customs inspections, and measures to block hazardous foods, particularly focusing on the safety of animal-origin products and agricultural goods. Russia strictly implements the registration, inspection, and documentation review of imported foods based on its national food safety standards and may impose import restrictions or bans when necessary.

Country : Canada
Food Import Inspection Agency : CFIA, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is the primary agency responsible for overseeing food safety and quality in Canada, working in close collaboration with Health Canada. CFIA handles a wide range of responsibilities related to imported food, including hygiene, labeling, and quality control, and enforces actions such as food recalls and import bans for hazardous products. Its scope also includes quarantine inspections and monitoring of biological hazards in animal products, agricultural produce, and processed foods. Health Canada is responsible for risk assessment, setting food safety standards, and approving new food additives, while CFIA conducts field inspections and regulatory enforcement based on those standards. In addition to protecting public health, the CFIA operates a registration and approval system for importers.

Country : Indonesia
Food Import Inspection Agency : BPOM, Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan, National Agency of Drug and Food Control
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The National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) is an agency under Indonesia's Ministry of Health, responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of products consumed by the public, including food, pharmaceuticals, health supplements, traditional medicines, and cosmetics. For imported food products, BPOM conducts a pre-registration process that reviews ingredients, labeling, and manufacturing standards. Distributing products without BPOM approval is illegal. The agency also carries out inspections of hazardous food, enforces recalls, manages quality control, and monitors the market. Indonesia has established a food safety system aligned with international standards, and BPOM plays a key role in consumer education, setting hygiene standards, and managing importers.

Country : Netherlands
Food Import Inspection Agency : NVWA, Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit, Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority
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The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) is responsible for managing the safety, hygiene, and quality of food, animals, plants, and consumer goods. The NVWA oversees the hygiene, ingredients, labeling, and declarations of all food products, including imports, and prevents the distribution of hazardous foods in the domestic market through document reviews and physical inspections. The NVWA also carries out recalls, issues warnings for unsafe foods, and conducts market surveillance. It ensures that EU regulations are properly enforced within the Netherlands through on-site inspections. In addition, the NVWA plays a key role in protecting consumers and promoting public health by providing education, information, and implementing legal regulatory measures.

Country : Hong Kong
Food Import Inspection Agency : CFS, Centre for Food Safety
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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) was established to ensure the safety and hygiene of food consumed in Hong Kong and operates under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD). CFS conducts safety inspections of imported food, enforces labeling standards, monitors hazards, and manages food recalls. For particularly high-risk food categories, it operates a system requiring the submission of hygiene certificates and permits prior to import. In addition to securing food quality and safety, the CFS carries out market surveillance, public health responses, and consumer education to protect consumers.

Country : United Kingdom (UK)
Food Import Inspection Agency : FSA, Food Standards Agency
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The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is an independent government body responsible for food safety, hygiene, and consumer protection in the United Kingdom. The FSA oversees a wide range of tasks including establishing import clearance standards, inspecting food labeling, managing food recalls, providing information on allergens, and responding to foodborne illnesses. Since the UK's departure from the EU, it has operated its own food regulatory system, with additional inspection and certification procedures required especially for high-risk food categories. The FSA contributes to public health protection and strengthens the food industry's credibility through science-based policy development, on-site inspections, consumer information, and support for the food sector.

Country : Germany
Food Import Inspection Agency : BVL, Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit
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The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMELH) in Germany, responsible for coordinating and evaluating official controls and ensuring the safety of imported foods. BVL collaborates with state authorities on food labeling, hazard information, and recall matters, and operates the national food safety information system. Germany follows the EU food safety regulations, and BVL works closely with the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to participate in regulatory coordination and management based on scientific risk assessments. Through these efforts, BVL contributes to protecting public health and promoting consumer rights.

Country : Malaysia
Food Import Inspection Agency : FSQD, Food Safety and Quality Division
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The Food Safety and Quality Division (FSQD) is an agency under the Ministry of Health Malaysia, responsible for managing the safety and quality of both domestically distributed and imported foods. Imported foods must undergo pre-inspection and approval processes in accordance with the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985, with strict enforcement of standards for ingredients, labeling, and hygiene. FSQD conducts food sample testing, document reviews, and on-site inspections, and takes actions such as recalls, import bans, and consumer warnings for hazardous foods. Through consumer education programs, FSQD raises awareness of food safety and contributes to improving public health.

Country : India
Food Import Inspection Agency : FSSAI, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), established in 2008, is a central government regulatory agency responsible for setting science-based food safety standards across the entire food supply chain, including manufacturing, distribution, importation, and sales, with the goal of protecting public health. FSSAI manages the registration and licensing of food business operators. For imported foods, inspections and clearance procedures are conducted through electronic systems such as FICS and FoSCoS, along with accredited laboratories. The agency also promotes policies aligned with international standards like Codex and oversees the overall safety and quality of foods distributed both within India and abroad.