[Exclusive] "What? I Used It for Fried Eggs and Kimchi Pancakes, but It Wasn't Edible?"... Raw Pork Lard Supplied to Department Stores, Causing Stir

Illegal Distribution of Raw Pork Lard Confirmed

Unrefined Raw Pork Lard Disguised as Cooking Ingredient

Promoted for Use in Stir-Frying and Deep-Frying; Even Supplied to Department Stores

Ministry of Food and Drug Safety: "Not Suitabl

It has been confirmed that raw pork fat (donji), which does not meet edible standards, is being distributed in the market disguised as a cooking ingredient. Products that exceed the acid value (an indicator of the freshness and degree of rancidity of fat/oil) standard set by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety by up to four times are even being supplied to department stores, raising concerns.

A company based in Seoul recommended adding raw pork scraps to fried eggs or kimchi pancakes, introducing it as having not only great taste but also cooking stability.

According to The Asia Business Daily’s investigation on April 22, as well as police sources, at least five distribution companies across the country, including in Seoul, Incheon, and Daegu, have been confirmed to be selling raw pork fat for edible use, rather than as a raw material. These companies, which distribute their products online, list the product type as raw pork fat but introduce them as suitable for cooking in product descriptions.

Driven by the Lard Oil Craze... 'Raw Materials' Disguised as Edible Products

According to the Food Sanitation Act, raw pork fat is defined as the 'raw material' for edible pork fat. It must undergo several purification processes—degumming (removal of impurities), deacidification (removal of free fatty acids), decolorization (removal of pigments that cause turbidity), and deodorization (removal of odor)—to be refined and qualified for use as edible pork fat. Edible pork fat must meet strict standards, including an acid value of 0.3 or lower and moisture content of 0.3% or lower. In contrast, raw pork fat in its unrefined state must have an acid value of 4.0 or lower.

Nevertheless, a Seoul-based company, referred to here as Company A, recommended adding raw pork fat to fried eggs or kimchi pancakes, promoting it as having not only great taste but also cooking stability. Company B in Seoul, when asked if the product was edible, falsely described it as edible pork fat, but added, "(Whether it is refined or not) is managed at the factory, so I am not sure." Company C in Incheon even recruited a product testing group and posted blogger reviews, while Company D in Daegu emphasized that it was distributing the product as a premium item in department stores. Company E in Daegu also promoted cooking applications.

The investigation found that all the raw pork fat sold by these companies was supplied by a company based in North Gyeongsang Province. The acid value of the raw pork fat distributed in the market was found to be between 0.8 and 1.4. While this meets the standard for raw pork fat (4.0 or lower) if supplied as a raw material, it is unrefined and the acid value exceeds edible standards by three to four times, making it unsuitable for edible use.

The supplier claims that there is no problem with the raw pork fat and that it is fine to use it for cooking. A company official stated, "To meet the acid value standard, various substances must be added during the refining process, and the process of removing them is quite complicated," adding, "Raw pork fat only needs management of acid value and moisture, so it is actually more natural and safer."

"The Beef Tallow Incident Ended in Acquittal"... A Fundamentally Different Issue

In the industry, some point to the 1989 beef tallow incident, in which food companies were acquitted. At that time, the acid value standard for edible beef tallow was 0.3 or lower, but prosecutors indicted food company executives for importing 'industrial raw materials' that exceeded this standard. However, the companies argued that the final product underwent refining and was used in products such as ramen in a form that met edible standards, and the court accepted this explanation.

However, in the beef tallow case, non-edible raw oil was imported and then refined according to domestic regulations before use. The prosecution argued that the edible standard should have been applied even at the raw material stage. This is different from the current case, where unrefined raw pork fat is being distributed as if it were edible. Kim Taemin, a lawyer specializing in food law and a former Ministry of Food and Drug Safety official, pointed out, "If standard specifications are violated, naturally it can be subject to punishment."

The Food Code, which sets safety standards under the Food Sanitation Act, is not about whether a product is edible per se, but whether stability during distribution is ensured. Unrefined fat is not a naturally edible food; enzymes and microorganisms remain, making the risk of rancidity during distribution exceedingly high, which is a scientific fact.

A professor of food engineering at a major university in Seoul, who requested anonymity, explained, "Legally defined standards are in place to determine whether there is a likelihood of harmful substances being present," and added, "A high acid value does not by itself mean spoilage, but it can indicate that the product has been exposed to adverse conditions such as high temperatures."

An official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "Unrefined raw pork fat is not suitable for edible use," and added, "If it is confirmed that raw pork fat has been distributed as if it were edible pork fat, action can be taken under the current law for violation of standard specifications."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.