Food safety ministry finds 15 misleading stevia tomato advertisers

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it found 15 businesses advertising processed stevia tomatoes online as ordinary agricultural products, although the products are classified as processed foods.

The businesses used claims including "stevia farming method," "new variety," "natural sugar" and "natural sweetener" on online shopping malls. The ministry said the businesses had sold about 62,000 units worth 860 million won.

The ministry requested that jurisdictional local governments take administrative action and filed complaints with investigative authorities.

Separate hygiene inspections of nine stevia tomato manufacturers found violations at three, including labels showing longer use-by dates than those declared in manufacturing reports and incomplete self-quality testing.

Testing of 18 stevia tomato products sold online and offline found that two exceeded standards for Escherichia coli, and local authorities plan administrative action.

The ministry identified Udeumji Farm's second plant and PamPam as the manufacturers of the two products.

Consumers should check labels showing that stevia tomatoes are processed fruit and vegetable products containing food additives, rather than agricultural products, the ministry said. It also advised following storage directions and eating them before their use-by dates.