. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/THA/100
2 July 2003
(03-3518)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THAILAND
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  The Office of Food and Drug  Administration (Thai FDA)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):   Stevioside and diet f oods containing stevioside
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:   All
countries
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   The Ministry of Public
Health Notification No. 262 dated 26 September 2002 entitled "Stevioside and diet foodscontaining stevioside" (2 pages, available in Thai)
6. Description of content:   As deemed necessary to approve the Stevia-extracted Stevioside as
a compound diet food for body–weight control, the Mi nister of Public Health is authorized to
notify the public that:
(i) Stevioside which is extracted from Stevia ( Stevia rebaudiana  Bertoni) is classified as
specific-controlled food;
(ii) Stevioside must have qualities or sta ndards as specified under this notification;
(iii) Diet foods containing stevioside must be specifically limited to body-weight control
as provided by Ministerial Notification No. 121 (1989);  and
(iv) Stevioside and diet foods containing stevioside must be labelled in accordance with
the general provisions on labelling under the relevant Ministerial Notification, exceptfor certain provisions specified under this Notification which must be complied with,
for example, the label for stevioside when  sold directly to the consumer, must be
labelled "stevia extracted" and "for adults only".  Products not directly sold to
consumers must be labelled "for body-weig ht control foods only".  The label for
body-weight control stevioside must be labe lled "used stevia-extracted stevioside".
7. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [   ]  protect territory from other
damage from pestsG/SPS/N/THA/100
Page 2
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   The official gazette,
volume 119, special chapter 91 d, dated 30 September 2002 (two pages, available in Thai).
10. Proposed date of adoption:   -
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   1 October 2002
12. Final date for comments:   -
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ X ] National notification
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority,  [ X ] National enquiry
point,  or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Authority designated to handle comments:
Enquiry pointNational Bureau of Agriculture Co mmodity and Food Standards (ACFS)
Division of Agriculture Commod ity and Food Standards Policy
3 Ratchadamnern-Nok Road, Bangkok 10200
Thailand
Tel: (662) 629 8970
Fax: (662) 629 8978
Website: www.acfs.go.th
E-mail: acfspol@acfs.go.th