Pre packaged foods (ICS 67.230).

Draft MOPH Notification, B.E, entitled "The Labelling of Pre-packaged foods "

The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) is proposing to revise the MOPH notification concerning " The Labelling of Pre-packaged foods " as follows:

a. The notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 367) B.E. 2557 (2014) The Labelling of Pre-packaged foods dated 8 May, the notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 383) B.E. 2560 (2017) The Labelling of Pre-packaged foods (No.2) dated 27 February, the notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 401) B.E. 2562 (2019) The Labelling of Pre-packaged foods (No.3) dated 25 April and the notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 410) B.E. 2562 (2019) The Labelling of Pre-packaged foods (No.4) dated 14 August are withdrawn and replaced by this ministerial notification;

b. This notification prescribes that pre-packaged food which manufactured, imported for sale and intended for sale to final consumer shall be labelled. Product label shall provide the following information in Thai: (1) Product name (2) Serial number (if any) (3) Importer or manufacturer's name and address (4) Metric declaration of quantity (5) Ingredient list (6) Allergens and substances causing hypersensitivity as defined in item 5(6) as follows:

(6.1) Cereals containing gluten, i.e. wheat, rye, barley, oat, spelt, or their hybridized strains and their products; except

(a) Wheat based glucose syrups including dextrose;

(b) Wheat based maltodextrins;

(c) Glucose syrups based on barley;

(d) Alcohol distillated from cereals;

(6.2) Crustacea i.e. crab, shrimp, mantis shrimp, lobster and their products;

(6.3) Eggs and egg products;

(6.4) Fish and fish products; except fish gelatine used as carrier for vitamin or carotenoid preparations;

(6.5) Peanut and their products;

(6.6) Soybean and their products; except

(a) Fully refined soybean oil and fat;

(b) Natural mixed tocopherols (INS06), natural D-alpha-tocopherol, natural DL-alpha-tocopherol, natural D-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, natural DL- alpha-tocopheryl acetate, natural D-alpha-tocopheryl acid succinate from soybean sources;

(c) Vegetable oils derived phytosterols and phytosterol esters from soybean sources;

(d) Plant stanol ester produced from vegetable oil sterols from soybean sources;

(6.7) Milk and dairy products including lactose; except lactitol from milk and milk products.

(6.8) Tree nuts and their products, i.e. almond, walnut, pecan, etc.;

(6.9) Sulphite at concentrations of 10 mg/kg or more.

(7) Type of food additives permitted for use shall be provided together with the specific name or INS code

(8) Best before date for products with shelf life <3 months or display in month and year format for products capable to store more than 3 months;

(9) other required information such as: cooking or storage instruction. In case of imported pre-packaged food which is not for retail sales or food catering; it may be labelled in English.

c. Manufacturers or importers or sellers of food shall not sell food which is overdue from the expiration date or consume before date as specified on the label.

d. Labelling of food imported for sale with other languages besides English or Thai language, translation of the label into Thai language shall be approved for accuracy, evidence document of the imported food shall be presented for compliance of the food as approval. Label of food ready to sell in Thai language shall be complete on the day of import or before the day of release by the officer. however, arrangement for accuracy of label in Thai language according to item 5 by importer whom deliver evidence to check point officer to release under the criteria of arrangement of label in Thai language under item 5 prior to place on sale within 30 days as from the day of import.

e. The name of the food product must be marked using a font size no less than 2 mm unless the label area of less than 35 cm2

f. The food product's serial number and metric declaration of quantity, as well as the name and address of a manufacturer, ingredients list, additives, allergens and substances causing hypersensitivity, must be marked using font size at least 1 mm, or 1.5 mm on label area of less than 100 cm2, and more than 100 cm2, respectively. Ingredients list must be marked on the label unless the label area of less than 35 cm2.

g. This notification shall not be applied with the followings: (1) Food that seller can provide information to consumer at the time purchased, such as street vendors; (2) Fresh food; (3) cut fresh food or similar product, in package that can be seen the nature or quality of the foods; (4) the food that is ready for consumption in restaurant, hotel, school, hospital or food packaged for home order delivery.

h. Any producer or importer of food prior to this notification is enforced shall submit application for the label correction in compliance with this notification and the old labels can be used for a period of two years after this notification becomes effective. i. This notification shall come into force 180 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.