The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Korea FDA) has advised consumers to check the \”Olbaro\” website before purchasing overseas food products to prevent harm from hazardous ingredients. As direct overseas food purchases increase, the agency operates this platform to provide pre-purchase safety information. Since 2021, the site has consolidated safety data from various government agencies into one location. Consumers can easily search for product names or ingredients to check for hazardous substances.
The \”Olbaro\” site offers information on ingredients and substances banned from import, lists of blocked hazardous foods, and comprehensive safety data on overseas food products. User numbers have steadily grown, from 300,000 in 2023 to 400,000 in 2024, reaching 890,000 in 2025. The Korea FDA plans to strengthen online promotions this year so more people can use the service, including direct advertising on major platforms like Google and KakaoTalk.
Leveraging digital technology, the Korea FDA will develop and distribute the \”Olbaro Web App,\” enabling consumers to check for hazardous foods simply by uploading photos or searching product names. This initiative is linked to the national project \”AI Import Food Inspection Solution Development and Demonstration for Safe Dining.\” Additionally, online shopping malls operated by import food purchasing agents will be required to guide consumers to check the \”Olbaro\” site before buying. To support this, amendments to the \”Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management\” are underway.
The Korea FDA emphasizes caution against products with exaggerated efficacy claims and urges consumers to always search for product and ingredient information on the \”Olbaro\” site before purchasing. Products containing ingredients banned from import should not be bought. The agency will continue to strengthen inspections of overseas food products that pose safety concerns or attract consumer interest, and will further upgrade the \”Olbaro\” platform to ensure a safer purchasing environment. For inquiries, contact the Import Distribution Safety Division at 043-719-6256.