On the 17th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it is operating an 'automatic review system for import food overseas manufacturer registration documents' applying digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
The new system utilizes AI machine learning-based optical character recognition (AI-OCR) and robotic process automation (RPA) technologies to review basic information such as the registrant's information and the location of the overseas manufacturer, replacing the existing process where civil servants directly reviewed the documents. It also automatically translates and compares multilingual documents, such as certificates from exporting countries, to verify the consistency of the application information and check for duplicate establishments.
Additionally, it converts the addresses of overseas manufacturers into latitude and longitude coordinates to verify accurate location information through mapping applications (Google Maps). This allows for the quick identification of establishments located in high-risk areas such as food-related accidents, diseases, or disasters, which can be reflected in import food inspections.
Furthermore, it can reduce the processing time for approximately 40,000 civil complaints per year from 3 days to 1 day.
As a result, it has become possible to minimize errors in overseas manufacturer registration information and shorten the time for processing civil complaints, enabling accurate and efficient management of import food safety.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety plans to continue promoting innovations in import food safety management by utilizing various digital technologies and to do its best to create an environment where the public can safely consume import foods. Detailed information related to the registration of overseas manufacturers and other topics can be found on the Ministry's website or the Import Food Information Maru website.