. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/THA/41
22 January 2001
(01-0326)
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:  Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  , Ministry of Public Health
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, whereapplicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  HS Chapter 2209, ICS:  67.220.20 (Food additives)
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Notification of Ministry of Public
Health (No…), B.E.2543(2000) Vinegar (3  pages, available in Thai language)
5. Description of content:  The Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No.48)
B.E.2523(1980) dated 20 February 1980 is withdrawn. Good Manufacturing Practice
shall be applied for production of vinegar.  In addition, this ministerial notification
prescribes the following items:
(1) Classification
Vinegar is classified into 3 types, i.e.
- Distilled vinegar
- Fermented vinegar
- Artificial vinegar
(2) Quality or standards, i.e. acetic acid content, clear and no sediments,
residual alcohol, free from sulfuric acid, vinegar eel.
(3) Permissible limits of contaminants, i.e. arsenic, lead, copper, zinc and
iron not exceeding 1, 1, 10 and 10 mg./1 kg. of vinegar respectively.
(4) Permissible limits of food additives, i.e. sulphur dioxide not exceeding
70 mg./1 kg. of vinegar and L-ascorbic acid not exceeding 400 mg./1 kg.
of vinegar.
(5) Containers(6) Labelling
Licences for food registration or food labelling issued prior to the enforcement of this
ministerial notification will be valid for 2 years.
Producers or importers who received lice nces prior to the enforcement of this
ministerial notification must apply for licences within one year after this ministerialnotification comes into force.  Upon submitting the application, the former labels can
still be valid for 2 years.G/SPS/N/THA/41
Page 2
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:
Publication in which the notification is published when adopted:
-   Government Gazette
9. Proposed date of adoption:  19 September 2000
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined
11. Final date for comments:  60 days from the WTO circulation date
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [  X ] National notification
authority, [  X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:           
12. Texts available from: [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: