Indonesian Coffee Export to South Korea: MFDS 2026 Guide

A practical, step-by-step pre‑shipment checklist and lab order template for meeting Korea’s MFDS PLS pesticide requirements on green coffee in 2026. What to test, LOQ targets, sampling, labs, documentation, timelines, costs, and what to do if results exceed an MRL.

If you sell Indonesian green coffee into South Korea, you already know the MFDS PLS regime is unforgiving. In our experience, three things decide whether your beans clear quickly or sit in a warehouse for weeks. Test scope. LOQ. Sampling. Nail those and you’re fine. Miss one and the rest doesn’t matter.

The 3 pillars of MFDS PLS compliance for coffee in 2026

Define a Korea‑fit test scope. Korea’s “Positive List System” applies to coffee. If an MRL for a specific pesticide in coffee is not set, the default MRL is 0.01 mg/kg. That means your multi‑residue pesticide test must cover a broad panel of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides that could realistically appear in coffee supply chains. We typically order 350–500 analytes across LC‑MS/MS and GC‑MS/MS to mirror what Korean labs screen.
Set the right LOQ. Tell your lab up front that any analyte without a coffee MRL must have a method LOQ of 0.01 mg/kg or lower. We push for 0.005–0.01 mg/kg to leave safety margin. This is the single most common error we see. A beautiful “ND < 0.02 mg/kg” report still fails if the default MRL is 0.01 mg/kg.
Sample like your clearance depends on it. Because it does. Take a representative composite from the exact lot you’ll ship. Seal it. Keep chain of custody. If MFDS re‑samples on arrival and your lot is heterogeneous, your pre‑shipment pass won’t help you.

Practical takeaway. Agree test scope and LOQ in writing with the lab before sampling. Sample by lot and sublot. Keep photos and seals in your file. This leads us to the steps.

Two weeks before packing: validation and lab booking

Confirm your buyer’s expectation. Ask them if they need a specific panel aligned to their Korean lab partner. Occasionally an importer requests a named list of 300–400 pesticides to match their internal SOP.
Check MRLs in the MFDS database. Search by commodity “coffee bean” or “coffee”. If no coffee‑specific MRL exists for a compound, assume the default 0.01 mg/kg. We’ve found it helpful to cross‑reference recent MFDS updates. They’ve steadily expanded and adjusted MRLs through late 2025.
Book an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited lab. Request LC‑MS/MS and GC‑MS/MS multi‑residue screens with analyte‑specific LOQs at or below 0.01 mg/kg. Ask for chromatograms and a signed report.

Timeline. Good labs quote 5–7 business days. Expedited is 2–3 days but pricier. Build in buffer before your container stuffing date.

Week of production: sampling and documentation

How much sample should I send and how should I collect it?

We recommend at least 1.5 kg net per lot for analysis. Keep another 1.5 kg as a retained sample.

Define your lot. Same origin, grade, process, and packing date. For a 19.2 MT container we often split into two sublots if beans come from different producer groups.
Take incremental samples. 5–10 grabs per sublot across bags and stack positions using a clean trier or scoop. Avoid the floor. Avoid reused plastic.
Make a composite. Mix thoroughly and quarter to your target weight. Immediately seal in food‑grade bags and apply tamper seals.
Label and document. Lot code, sublot, bag count, date, sampler. Photos of the sampling points are gold if customs asks later.
Ship to lab. Ambient is fine for green coffee. Keep chain‑of‑custody form attached.

Pro tip. If you expect tight timelines, send duplicate sealed composites to two labs on day one. We do this for time‑critical bookings to avoid a single‑lab bottleneck.

What should be in the pesticide scope for Korean PLS on coffee?

What pesticides need to be included in a Korea‑compliant multi‑residue test for green coffee beans?

Cover the usual suspects across these classes because they’re routinely targeted in Korea:

Organophosphates. Chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos‑methyl, diazinon, malathion, parathion‑methyl, profenofos.
Pyrethroids. Cypermethrin, deltamethrin, lambda‑cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, permethrin.
Neonicotinoids. Imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, clothianidin.
Carbamates. Carbaryl, carbofuran, methomyl, pirimicarb.
Triazoles and other fungicides. Propiconazole, tebuconazole, difenoconazole, triadimefon, azoxystrobin, metalaxyl, mancozeb (measured via CS2), pyraclostrobin, fluopyram.
Herbicide traces. Glyphosate, glufosinate. Not always in standard coffee panels, so ask the lab to include them if your agronomy warrants it.

Most Korean labs screen 350–500 compounds by default. Ask for their Korea PLS coffee panel list and align your pre‑shipment test.

Does Korea’s PLS apply a 0.01 mg/kg default MRL when no specific limit exists for a pesticide in coffee?

Yes. Under PLS, if coffee doesn’t have a specific MRL for a compound, the default MRL is 0.01 mg/kg. That is why your method LOQ should not exceed 0.01 mg/kg.

Labs, turnaround, and cost

Which laboratories are accepted by Korean importers or MFDS for pesticide analysis?

MFDS performs official import inspections in Korea. For pre‑shipment, use ISO/IEC 17025 accredited labs whose reports Korean importers routinely accept. In Indonesia, we’ve worked with SGS Indonesia, SUCOFINDO, Saraswanti Indo Genetech (SIG), and Intertek. Regional options like Eurofins and ALS can also be viable. The key is 17025 scope covering multi‑residue pesticide analysis with LOQ ≤ 0.01 mg/kg and detailed reports. Always confirm with your buyer which labs they recognize.

Turnaround. 5–7 business days standard. 2–3 days rush.

Cost. Broad LC/GC multi‑residue panels run around USD 250–500 per lot. Adding glyphosate or tailored confirmations can push it to USD 600–800. Budget early.

Import clearance realities in Korea

If my pre‑shipment results pass, can my shipment skip inspection in Korea?

Not exactly. Pre‑shipment passes speed internal approval and reduce risk, but MFDS decides inspection status. Importers with a clean history may face documentary or random inspection. If your past lots failed, expect more frequent sampling on arrival. We share reports and raw data with buyers. It helps them argue for lighter touch, but it’s not a guaranteed exemption.

Do organic‑certified beans still require pesticide residue testing for Korea?

Yes. PLS applies to all coffee, organic included. We still run the same multi‑residue scope and LOQs on organic lots.

When results go sideways

What corrective actions can I take if a pesticide exceeds Korea’s limit before shipping?

Verify first. Request re‑analysis on the retained test extract and analyze your retained physical sample at a second lab. Rule out lab error.
Segregate and trace. Identify sublots or producer groups driving the exceedance and retest narrowed composites. Often one farmer block is the issue.
Rework options. Intensive defect sorting and density separation can reduce residues in some cases, but effects are inconsistent. Roasting may lower some residues, but MFDS assesses the product as imported. Don’t rely on roast reduction to clear a green coffee failure.
Replacement or reroute. Replace the lot for Korea and redirect the non‑conforming lot to a market where the compound has a higher coffee MRL. Never blend to dilute a residue below an MRL for Korea. That’s not an acceptable corrective action.

We document everything and update our supplier “do‑not‑use” pesticide lists. This prevents repeats.

A copy‑paste lab order sheet you can use today

Subject. Request: Korea PLS multi‑residue pesticide test for green coffee beans, LOQ ≤ 0.01 mg/kg

Commodity. Green coffee beans (unroasted), Indonesia, [origin/region].
Lot details. Lot code(s), bag count, net weight, production date, farm/co‑op.
Test scope. LC‑MS/MS + GC‑MS/MS multi‑residue panel covering ≥350 analytes commonly required for Korea PLS. Include organophosphates, pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, carbamates, triazoles/strobilurins, plus glyphosate and glufosinate.
LOQ. Analyte‑specific LOQ ≤ 0.01 mg/kg for all compounds without coffee‑specific MRLs. Target 0.005–0.01 mg/kg where feasible.
Reporting. mg/kg units. Individual results per analyte, LOQ per analyte, method summary, chromatograms, uncertainty, lab accreditation scope reference, and signed report.
TAT and copies. Standard 5–7 business days. Email PDF and raw data to exporter and importer contacts.
Samples enclosed. Sealed composite sample(s) with tamper seal numbers: [list]. Chain‑of‑custody attached.

Need help tailoring the scope to your buyer’s lab in Korea or want us to manage pre‑shipment testing end‑to‑end? You can Contact us on whatsapp and we’ll share our latest Korea panels and LOQ templates.

Building a Korea‑ready program that scales

Supplier control. Share your “prohibited or restricted pesticide list” with farmers and collectors. We maintain a living list aligned to Korea PLS and update it every harvest.
Hold‑release. We operate a hold‑release gate at the warehouse. No Korea‑bound lot moves to stuffing until lab results are reviewed and filed.
Data hygiene. File everything by lot. Sampling photos, seal IDs, lab PDFs, raw data, and emails. When import clearance questions pop up, this file saves days.

If you want lots that are already screened for Korea, we can bundle pre‑shipment PLS testing on single‑origins like Arabica Bali Kintamani Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans, Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans, or wet‑hulled profiles such as Blue Batak Green Coffee Beans. For microlot or fermentation‑driven profiles headed to specialty buyers in Seoul, we do the same for our Bali, Java, Gayo & Mandheling - Wine Green Arabica Coffee Beans.

The 5 mistakes that kill Korea‑bound shipments

LOQ too high. A 0.02 mg/kg LOQ looks fine on paper and still fails under PLS. Fix it in the test order.
Wrong scope. Testing 150 analytes when the port lab screens 400 creates surprises. Match Korea.
Non‑representative sampling. Pulling from only top bags. Always composite across the stack.
Missing chain of custody. No seal numbers or photos makes disputes hard. Keep a clean record.
Assuming “organic” equals “exempt.” It doesn’t. Test everything.

Quick answers to what people ask us most

How many pesticides should I screen. We aim for 350–500 to mirror Korea’s multi‑residue pesticide test coverage.
Turnaround time for MFDS import with residue tests. If sampled on arrival, expect 3–5 business days for results once the Korean lab receives the sample. That’s separate from your pre‑shipment timing.
Cost ballpark. USD 250–500 per lot for broad screens. Add‑ons can raise it to USD 600–800.
Using the MFDS MRL database. Search “coffee” or “coffee beans,” then each compound. If none show for coffee, apply the default 0.01 mg/kg.
Does roasting reduce residues for MFDS purposes. Some compounds drop with heat, but Korea evaluates the product as imported. Do not count on roasting to fix a green bean exceedance destined for Korea.

Questions about a current lot or need a second‑opinion review of your lab report before you book the vessel. Call us and we’ll walk your file and risk points in 10 minutes.

We’ve cleared a lot of Indonesian coffee into Korea by keeping the process boring. Wide scope. Proper LOQ. Good sampling. When you make those three pillars non‑negotiable, MFDS PLS stops being scary and starts being a checklist you run every time.