G/SPS/N/THA/311  
 
14 May 2020  
(20-3604) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  THAILAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  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):  Edible fats and Oils (ICS 67.200)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific  regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Ministry of Public Health Notification, No. … B.E. 
….(....) Issued by virtue of the Food Act B.E. 2522 entitled "Edible Fats and Oils" . 
Language(s):  Thai. Number of pages:  20 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/THA/20_3177_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) considered that existing 
Notifications of Ministry of Public Health regarding edible fats and oils should be revised 
to comply with relevant codex standards for edible fats and oil as well as technologies of 
their production. Therefore, the draft Notification of MOPH entitled "Edibl e Fats and Oils" 
has been issued for consumer health protection and trade facilitation as follows:  
− Clause 1 - Following notifications of MOPH shall be repealed;  
(1) Notification of MOPH (No.23) B.E.2522 (1979) Re: Peanut Oil  
(2) Notification of MOPH (No. 233) B.E.  2544 (2001) Re: Amendment of the Notification 
of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 23) B.E.2522 (1979) Re: Peanut Oil  
(3) Notification of MOPH (No.56) B.E.2524 (1981) Re: Palm Oil  
(4) Notification of MOPH  (No.184) B.E.2542 (1999) Re: Palm Oil (No. 2).  
(5) Notification of MOPH (No. 234) B.E. 2544 (2001) Re: Amendment of the Notification 
of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 56) B.E. 2524 (1981), Re: Palm Oil.  
(6) Notification of MOPH (No. 57) B.E. 2524 (1981) Re: C oconut Oil.  
(7) Notification of MOPH (No. 235) B.E. 2544 (2001) Re: Amendment of the Notification 
of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 57) B.E. 2524 (1981), Re: Coconut Oil.  
(8) Notification of MOPH (No. 205) B.E. 2543 (2000) Re: Oil and Fat.  
− Clause 2 - Edible fa t and oils are prescribed food to have qualities or standards. 
Definition of edible fat and oils is revised as follows:  
"Edible fats and oils mean foodstuffs which are composed of glycerides of fatty acids 
obtained from plant, animal or marine origin and b e fit for human consumption, 
except for fish oil"  
− Clause 3 - Edible fats and oils are classified to 5 categories as follows:  
1) Fats and oils which are obtained from plant origin as specified in Annex 1 of this 
notification;  
2) Fats and oils which are obtained f rom animal origin as specified in Annex 2 of this 
notification;  G/SPS/N/THA/311  
 
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  3) Fats and oils which are obtained by marine origin as specified in Annex 3 of this 
notification;  
4) Other fats and oils which are obtained from any source other than listed in Annex 
1, 2, and 3 of  this notification that be approved by Thai FDA; and  
5) Mixed fats and oils which are consisted of 2 or more than 2 different types of fats 
and oils as classified in 1, 2, 3, 4, or specific fat and oils from particular notification 
of MOPH. The mixed fat and oils are processed either by mechanical process, inter -
esterification process, or other processes to be approved by Thai FDA.  
− Clause 4 - The production processes of edible fats and oils, excepted for mixed fats 
and oils shall be either as follows:  
1) Mechanical process by expelling or pressing, and the application of heat only, cold 
pressing without the application of heat, distillation and fractionation by mechanical 
procedures, or other mechanical process that be approved by Thai FDA, being 
purified by washing with water, setting, filtering or centrifuging only;  
2) Processing process by purifying of oil and fat, which are obtained from mechanical 
process or extraction by solvent, for removing free fatty acids and may be treated 
for decolourization or deo dorization. It includes fat and oils that have been 
subjected to process of modification such as fractionation, full -hydrogenation, 
inter-esterification, or re -esterification by using chemical agents, enzyme, or heat 
as catalyst as the case may be; or  
3) Other processes which are approved by Thai FDA.  
− Clause 5 - Edible fats and oils shall comply with following the qualities or standards;  
1) For edible fats and oils in liquid or semi -solid form  
• Colour, odour and flavour inherent of that specific characteristics of  fats and 
oils as the case may be and free from foreign matter and rancid odour;  
• Chemical and physical characteristics of some fats and oils shall comply with 
requirements specified in Annex 4 of this notification;  
• Fatty acid composition of some fats and o ils shall comply with requirements 
specified in Annex 5 of this notification;  
• Acid value shall be expressed in mg of potassium hydroxide per 1 gm. of fats 
and oils and complied with the limits based on type or process of fats and oils. 
In case of the acid value is expressed as percentage of free fatty acid, a 
conversion of percentage of free fatty acid to acid value shall comply with this 
requirement;  
• Peroxide value shall be expressed in mg equivalent per 1 kg of fats and oils 
and complied with the limits b ased on type or process of fats and oils;  
• Water and volatile matter at 105 degree Celsius shall comply with the limits 
based on type or process of fats and oils as the case may be;  
• Soap content shall more than 0.005% by weight, except lard and premiere jus  
or oleo stock shall not be found any soap content;  
• Insoluble impurities shall not be more than 0.05% by weight, except Virgin 
olive oils which shall not more than 0.1% by weight;  
• The level of contaminants (mineral oil, Iron, and Copper) shall be detected not 
more than limit based on type or process of fats and oils as the case may be.  
2) For mixed fats and oils in liquid or semi -solid form  
• The qualities or standards of fats and oils before mixing shall comply with 
requirements for such particular single fat and oil as the case may be and shall 
be complied with additional qualities or standard approved by Thai FDA as the 
case may be.  
3) For fats and oils in dried form  
• Moisture content shall not more than 5 % by weight;  
• Fats and oils used as raw materials shal l comply with requirements for such 
particular single fat and oil as the case may be;  
• In case of other ingredients are contained, their qualities and standards shall 
comply with relevant requirements as approved by Thai FDA.  
− Clause 6 - Contaminants, pathog ens shall not be exceeding  the maximum limits as 
specified in the Notification of MOPH regarding Standard of Foods contained 
contaminants and Standards for of Pathogenic Microorganisms in Food, respectively.  
− Clause 7 - Usage of food additives and container s for edible fats and oils shall comply 
with the Notification of MOPH regarding Food additives and Standard of Containers, 
respectively.  G/SPS/N/THA/311  
 
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  − Clause 8 - Producers or importers of edible fats and oils for sales shall follows:  
1) The notification of the Ministry of Public Health, Re: Production processes, 
production equipment and foods storages;  
2) Reused cooking oil is prohibited to use for fat and oil production process.  
− Clause 9 - Labelling  of fats and oils shall comply with the Notification of Ministry o f 
Public Health regarding labeling of prepackaged foods. In addition, the following 
information shall be expressed on its label as the case may be;  
1) Production process shall be displayed with name of food for fat and oil, except for 
mixed fat and oil  
2) Type o f fats and oils used as ingredients and mix proportion in descending orders 
with production process of fat and oils used in mixture shall be displayed with name 
of food for mixed fats and oils.  
− Clause 10 - Producers or importers of edible fats and oils for  sales, whose permission 
issued prior to this notification, shall follows:  
1) Existing fats and oils can be sold in the market not exceed 2 years after this 
notification comes into force;  
2) Existing fats and oils shall be complied with this notification within 2 years after 
this notification comes into force.  
− Clause 11 - This notification shall come into force as from the day following date of 
its publication in the Government Gazette.  
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 pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or seri al number of Codex 
standard or related text) : CODEX STAN 19 -1981, CODEX STAN 33 -1981, 
CODEX STAN 210 -1999, CODEX STAN 211 -1999 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] Internatio nal Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
1. The notification of the Ministry of Public Health regarding Standard of Foods 
contained contaminants;  
2. The notification of the Ministry of Public Health regarding Standard s for Pathogenic 
Microorganisms in Food;  
3. The notification of the Ministry of Public Health regarding Food additives;  
4. The notification of the Ministry of Public Health regarding Containers;  
5. The notification of the Ministry of Public Health regarding Product ion processes, 
production equipment and foods storages;  
6. The notification of the Ministry of Public Health regarding Labeling of Prepackaged 
Foods, etc.   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  G/SPS/N/THA/311  
 
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  11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : On the date after being notified in the Official Gazette.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 13 July 2020  
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS)  
50 Phaholyothin Road, Ladyao  
Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900  
Thailand  
Tel: +(662) 561 4204  
Fax: +(662) 561 4034  
E-mail: spsthailand@gmail.com   
Websites: http://www.acfs.go.th  
 http://www.spsthailand.net/  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
E-mail: spsthailand@gmail.com   
Websites: http://www.acfs.go.th  
 http://www.spsthailand.net/