. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/THA/164 
26 November 2004 
 
 (04-5168) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THAILAND
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   The Office of Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA) 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:         
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Fermented milk 
(ICS 67.100) 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:   Draft Notification of 
the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) No. ..., B.E. ... , entitled "Fermented Milk" (5 pages, 
in Thai) 
6. Description of content:   The MOPH is proposing to am end the provisions on fermented 
milk as follows:  (1) The MOPH Notification No. 46 and No . 99 (B.E. 2529) are hereby cancelled and 
 superseded by this notification.  
(2) The fermented milk is stipulated as "specific controlled food". 
 (3) The fermented milk means "dairy produc ts derived from edible milk of animal 
origin or from treated dairy components which have been fermented with unharmed 
microbes and dressed up with flavouring, colouring, food additives, food essences 
or any other non-dairy components, including heat-treated, frozen or dried 
fermented milk". 
 (4) Classification of fermented milk according to defined microbes are:  Yoghurt, 
Acidophilus Milk, Kefir, Kumys, and ot her product fermented with non-defined 
microbes. 
 (5) Fortification shall be complied with the Thai FDA requirements.  (6) The fermented milk can be heat-treated  after fermentation by pasteurization, UHT 
or any other equivalent treatment. G/TBT/N/THA/164 
Page 2  
 
(7) The standard of fermented milk in cluding heat-treated, frozen and dried. 
 (8) If dressed up, the fermented milk conten t shall be at least 50 % by weight and 
complied with standard requirements. 
 
(9) The handling of non heat-treated or p asteurized fermented milk after packaging 
until final consumption shall be kept at 8
o C or below and shelf life period not 
over 30 days except frozen or dried fermented milk. 
 (10) The UHT fermented milk shall be kept at least 5 days at room temperature after 
packaging date to evaluate the qualit y releasing to commercial distribution. 
 (11) The application of food additives shal l be complied with specific requirements on 
food additives. 
 
(12) Producers, importers of fermented milk shall comply with specific requirements on 
production method, equipments and storage. 
 (13) Container of fermented milk shall be  complied with specific requirements on food 
packaging. 
 
(14) Labelling of fermented milk shall be complied with specific requirements on food 
labelling;  in addition, the product name and label of certa in fermented milk shall be 
complied with additional require ments in this notification. 
 (15) Producers, importers who received the f ood serial number before the effective date 
of this proposal shall submit  its application for new provi sions within 180 days after 
the effective date, and the current label is extendible but not beyond 1 year.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of Trade Secrets 
8. Relevant documents:   -       
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined. 
Proposed date of entry into force:  The day after being notified in the National Gazette. 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days after notification date to WTO Members 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:        
 National Bureau of Agriculture Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) 
 Division of Agriculture Commodity and Food Standards Policy  3 Ratchadamnern-Nok Road  Bangkok 10200 
 Thailand 
   Tel.: (662) 629-8970  Fax: (662) 629-8978  Web site:  www.acfs.go.th 
 E-mail: sps@acfs.go.th