• Inspection
  • Salt Inspection

Salt Inspection

Salt Inspection

Objects for quality inspection
Domestic salt
  • Document check
    • sea salt that received passing grade on organoleptic inspection in less than a month
    • salt that received passing grade on laboratory inspection and is requesting for inspection by next year
    • salt that executives announced to be a designated document check target
  • Organoleptic inspection
    • salt that is requesting for inspection for the first time in each year after organoleptic inspection (exclude inspection request for next year after organoleptic inspection)
    • salt that is requesting for inspection after a month of document check
    • salt that applicant requests for organoleptic inspection although it is a target of document check
    • salt that is deemed necessary for organoleptic inspection by letter of support
  • laboratory inspection
    • salt that is a target of document check or organoleptic inspection but the applicant requests for laboratory inspection
    • salt that failed organoleptic inspection or harmful ingredients can potentially be detected
    • salt that executives find it necessary to secure the safety
    • For the producer that failed the previous inspection: there will be a inspection every month for 3 consecutive months for detected harmful ingredient which was found in previous inspection
imported salt (non-edible)
  • Document check
    • salt that is imported for foreign currency acquisition or in-house processing
    • salt that will be used for exhibition or fair
    • salt that passed organoleptic inspection in less than 3 months and is requesting for inspection
  • Organoleptic inspection
    • imported salt that is applying for inspection for the very first time
    • salt that is asking for re-inspection after 3 months of initial organoleptic inspection date
    • salt that was confiscated or repossessed and custom chief is requesting for inspection
    • result of document check indicates that organoleptic inspection is necessary by letter of support
    • subject of document check or applicant is requesting for organoleptic inspection
Authorities for Quality Inspection
  • The National FIshery Products Quality Management Services (NFQS) : Delegated authority for quality inspection by the minister of Oceans and Fisheries in accordance with Article 15 of Enforcement Decree of Salt Industry Promotion Act
  • Korea Salt Manufacture Association : An authority for inspection stated in Article 35.1 of Salt Industry Promotion Act
  • Korean Functional Food Research Institute : Authorities appointed by the minister of Oceans and Fisheries in accordance with Article 16 of Enforcement Decree of Salt Industry Promotion Act
    Designation for Salt Quality Inspection Authority
    Legal Basis : Article 35.2 of Salt Industry Promotion Act and Article 16 of Enforcement Decree of Salt Industry Promotion Act
External authorities for laboratory salt inspection
  • Korean Functional Food Research Institute
    • Tel: 031-628-2368
    • Fax: 031-628-0400
Method of quality inspection
Inspection processing period
  • 2 days for document check, 5 days for organoleptic inspection, 14 days for laboratory inspection
Document check
  • Information on application must match the approval of salt manufacturing
Organoleptic inspection
  • Edible salt: Comprehensive judgment from shape, color, smell, taste, dryness, foreign matter, etc.
  • ENon-edible or by-product salt: Comprehensive judgment from color, smell, coagulation phenomenon, dryness, foreign matter, etc.
Laboratory inspection
  • Edible: Sodium chloride, moisture, insoluble matter, sulfate ion, arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, ferrocyanide ion
  • Condensed sea water: Sodium Chloride, specific gravity, lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, E.coli, bacterial count
  • Chemical by-product salt of non-edible salt: Sodium chloride, moisture, insoluble matter
Penalty to violator
  • A maximum of ₩10,000,000 in fines will be imposed on anyone who stores, displays, and imports uninspected or inspection failing salt for the purpose of sale or sale (Article 63 of Salt Industry Promotion Act)
    Quality inspection is mandatory by Salt Industry Promotion Act
    Legal Basis: Salt that is produced by salt manufacturer, or imported must get quality inspection (Article 35 of Salt Industry Promotion Act)

Application of Salt Inspection

Documents to be submitted
Domestic salt
  • Domestic salt inspection application
  • Copy of permit relates to salt manufacture, or production/manufacture report certificate of in-edible salt (limited to very first inspection)
  • Sales plan of by-product salt (limited to by-product salt)
  • Confirmation document of domestic salt production and inventory
  • Approval confirmation document to use the saltern for sea salt (If the producer is different from salt manufacturing licensee)
  • Copy of laboratory inspection result certificate from salt quality inspection facility (limited to the target of document check and organoleptic inspection)
Imported salt
  • Imported salt quality inspection application
  • Sticker or package(including documents) that indicates the quality
  • Receipt confirmation (limited to document check)
  • Proving documents that import is for the purpose of foreign currency acquisition (limited to the imported salt for the foreign currency acquisition)
  • Proving documents that import is for the production of their own product (limited to direct or consignment imported salt for the purpose of own product production)
  • Copy of non-edible import industry declaration certificate (Enforcement Decree attached form 17 of Article 12.2 of Salt Industry Promotion)
Where to submit
  • Regional office
Fees
  • Salt inspection charge (Enforcement Decree attached table 9)
    Document check
    Fee exempt
    Organoleptic inspection
    Salt inspection charge - Document check
    Type Sea salt Refined salt Remanufactured salt Chemical by-product salt Processed salt Sea water Imported salt
    Price(Won / Ton) 840 520 520 520 870 160 120
    Fees for each item of laboratory inspection
    Salt inspection charge - Fees for each item of laboratory inspection
    Type analysis items Standard fees on test/inspection of food and pharmaceutical field
    Crystalized salt(Edible salt) Sodium Chloride (1) ₩11,100
    Moisture (2) ₩7,100
    Insoluble content (3) ₩9,900
    Sulfate ion (4) ₩14,000
    Arsenic (5) ₩76,700
    Lead (6) ₩76,700
    Cadmium (7) ₩76,700
    Mercury (8) ₩35,200
    Ferrocyanide ion (9) ₩22,900
    Total ₩330,300
    Chemical by-product salt(non-edible salt) Sodium Chloride (1) ₩11,100
    Moisture (2) ₩7,100
    Insoluble content (3) ₩9,900
    Total ₩28,100
    Condensed sea water Sodium Chloride (1) ₩11,100
    Specific gravity (2) ₩2,500
    Lead (3) ₩76,700
    Mercury (4) ₩35,200
    Cadmium (5) ₩76,700
    Arsenic (6) ₩76,700
    E.coli (7) ₩19,900
    Bacterial count (8) ₩19,900
    Total ₩318,700