UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
  
 
MINISTERIAL REGULATION  
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THAI AGRICULTURAL STANDARD ON   
SULPHUR DIOXIDE FUMIGA TION OF FRESH FRUITS  
AS A MANDATORY STANDARD  
B.E. 2558 (2015) 
 
By virtue of Section 5 paragraph one and Section 15 paragraph t wo of the 
Agricultural Standards Act, B.E. 2551 (2008), the Minister of A griculture and Cooperatives 
hereby issues this Ministerial Regulation as follows: 
Section 1 This Ministerial Regulation shall come into force aft er one hundred 
and eighty days as from the date of its publication in the Roya l Gazette.  
Section 2 The Thai Agricultural Standard TAS 1004-2014 in accor dance with 
the Notification of the Ministr y of Agriculture and Cooperative s on the Establishment of Thai 
Agricultural Standard: Code of Practice for Sulphur Dioxide Fum igation of Fresh Fruits under 
the Agricultural Standards Act, B.E. 2551 (2008) dated on 3 Nov ember B.E. 2557 (2014) shall 
be established as a mandatory standard. 
     
           Given on the 8
th Day of October B.E. 2558 (2015) 
 
           (General Chatchai Sarikalya) 
                              Minister of Agriculture and Coope ratives 
          
 
 
Remark :  Rationale for the promulgation of this Act is that:  Fresh fru its fumigation with 
sulphur dioxide is widely used as the process of post-harvest m anagement to extend the shelf 
life of agricultural produces for their freshness and quality r equired. However, improper 
fumigation of fresh fruit with sulfur dioxide could lead to the  excessive sulphur dioxide content 
leftover which can affect consumer’s health. Therefore, the con trol of fumigation process is 
required to prevent the excessive residue on the produces again st the legal requirement. The 
ministerial regulation has been  announced in order to protect t he consumers and to ensure that 
Thai fruits are safe for consumption, which enhances the trade competiveness of Thai fruits. 
This regulation established the measures to control of fumigati on process. The Notification of 
the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives on the Establishme nt of Thai Agricultural 
Standard: Code of Practice for Sulphur dioxide Fumigation of Fr esh Fruits under the 
Agricultural Standards Act, B.E. 2551 (2008) was promulgated on  the 3rd November 2014.   
The public hearing for stakeholders was conducted to follow the  Section 18 under the 
Agricultural Standard Act B.E. 2551. Thus, it is deemed necessa ry to establish the Thai 
Agricultural Standard: Code of Practice for Sulphur dioxide Fum igation of Fresh Fruits as a 
mandatory standard. 
 TAS 1004-2014 
THAI AGRICULTURAL STANDARD 
CODE OF PRACTICE  FOR SULPHUR DIOXIDE FUMIGATION  
OF FRESH FRUITS 
 
1. SCOPE 
This standard establishes code of practice for su lphur dioxide fumigation of fresh fruits so as 
to obtain fresh fruits which are safe and of quality suitable for consumption and not  to cause 
any impact to the environment. 
2. DEFINITIONS 
For the purpose of this standard: 
2.1 Sulphur dioxide means gas of the chemical formula SO 2 obtained from the burning of 
sulphur or other methods. The gas is colourle ss, inflammable and pungent with antimicrobial 
and antibrowning  properties. 
2.2 Fumigation  means a process where sulphur dioxide application is treated to the produce 
by the control of concentrations and specified time schedules.  
3. REQUIREMENTS 
3.1 The processes of sulphur dioxide fumigati on for fresh produce in a chamber shall be 
practiced as shown in Table 1. 
3.2 Any fumigation process that does not use the chamber for treatment, whereas some 
requirements of the Table 1 may not be fulf illed, the criteria and conditions for assessment 
stipulated by the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards shall comply to thereof.  
Table 1 Requirements for Sulphur Dioxi de Fumigation of Fresh Fruits 
 
 
Items  Requirements 
 
1.1 Locate in the area that does not cause any contamination 
to the quality of produce and c onsumer safety without any 
impact to the environment. If  there is any risk, preventive 
measure shall be in place. 1. Establishment  
(1) Location  
1.2 Site of the establishment sh all be permitted according to 
relevant laws and regulations.  
(2) Working areas  1.3 Sufficient space for the operations covering raw material 
receiving, fumigation process a nd post handling of treated 
produce shall be in place. 
TAS 1004-2014               2 
Items  Requirements 
1.4 Availability of treatment chamber with sturdy and secure 
structure 
1.5 Surfaces of walls and floor of the chamber shall be 
smooth and free from cracks. Materials used shall be resistant to corrosion, impervious to gas and easy to clean.  
1.6 The chamber shall be able to  prevent leaking of gas, 
particularly at the door and seams or joints. In addition, 
suitable materials which are also resistant to corrosion shall be 
used.  
1.7 Lighting shall be installed in the proper position provided 
with adequate light for work and ready for each use.  
1.8 Availability of observatory window to monitor conditions 
inside the chamber. 
(3) Fumigation chamber    
1.9 Availability of air circulation system to disperse the gas 
throughout the chamber.   
1.10 Availability of effective gas recapture system. 
 (4) Gas recapture system  
1.11 Gas recapture system shall be inspected for its 
effectiveness at least once a year. 
1.12 Tools and equipment used for the fumigation shall be in good condition and effective. 
1.13 Suitable weighing scale fo r sulphur and/or sulphur 
dioxide shall be accurate and precise  
(5) Tools and equipment 
1.14 Availability of precise timer.  
(6) Occupational safety for 
workers  1.15 Tools and equipment shall be in good working conditions 
and in sufficient amount for worker s. Safety signs shall also be 
presented at the workplace.  
 
2.1 Inspect the incoming produce according to the 
establishment specifications.  2. Operation control 
(1) Raw materials  
 
2.2 inspect the materials used for fumigation such as sulphur 
and sulphur dioxide according to their specifications. 
(2) Containers for fresh fruits  2.3 Containers shall be clean, strong and suitable for the gas 
to pass through and allow the fruits to be exposed to the gas 
during the fumigation process. 
(3) Sulphur dioxide fumigation process 
 2.4 Availability of the results on the validation or verification 
of method of sulphur dioxide fu migation of the chamber. Such 
results shall include the efficacy inspections of fumigation in the empty chamber and at leas t one load of produce at the 
beginning of the operation or changing method of fumigation. 
The leftover sulphur dioxide resi due in fresh fruits shall not 
exceed the Maximum Level of national or trading partners 
regulations.  
TAS 1004-2014  3 
Items  Requirements 
 2.5 Availability of clear and correct procedures for the 
operations such as work flow chart, table showing amount of 
sulphur or sulphur dioxide usag e, duration of treatments in 
relation with the volume of produce, produce arrangement and 
possible number of containers in the chamber including periods 
of storage and transportation. 
 2.6 Availability of operator who has experience and skill in 
the fumigation process.  
2.7 The chamber and equipment shall be inspected for their appropriate conditions, cleanliness and readiness for use such as door seal, circulating fan/bl ower, lighting, sulphur burner, 
exhaust fan/blower, concentration of lime solution (calcium 
hydroxide), spray nozzles, weighing scale and timer. 
2.8 Control of prepared produce for fumigation shall be in 
accordance with the methods in 2.4.  
2.9 Control of sulphur or sulphur  dioxide usage shall be in 
accordance with the methods in 2.4.  
 
2.10 During the fumigation process, control and monitor the 
fumigation in accordance with the methods in 2.4.  
2.11 When the fumigation process is completed and prior to 
opening the chamber, the leftover circulation gas in the chamber shall be released appropriately and effectively.   
2.12 The leftover circulation gas from the chamber referred to 
in 2.11 shall be diverted and purge d into the effectively tested 
gas recapture unit and monitor the operation system regularly.  
2.13  Containers of treated pr oduce rested outside the chamber 
shall be blown to release the remaining sulphur dioxide to 
prevent residue in fresh produce over the Maximum Level.  
(4) Post fumigation handling   
2.14 Treated produce shall be sampled for sulphur dioxide 
residue testing at least once a year. 
(5) Storage  2.15 Store treated produce or treated produce awaiting 
transport in an appropriate area.   
(6) Waste management  2.16  Waste materials or debris such as leaves, treated waste 
water from gas recapture unit and waste from lime solution shall be removed from the operation areas and properly 
disposed.  
3. Training  
 3.  Train or put operators on the job training to gain knowledge 
and skill to their assigned work s including refreshment training 
and updating their performance at least once a year.  TAS 1004-2014               4 
Items  Requirements 
4.1   Availability of documents and records of work operations 
including sale, distribution and storage, for the purposes of assessment and traceability such as:   - inspection results of validation  or verification  method 
of sulphur dioxide fumigation; 
 - test results of sulphur dioxide residue in treated produce;  - receiving of raw materials, storage, and sale/ distribution;  - control/monitor of sulphur dioxide fumigation process; 
and 
 - training or on the job training records of operators and  
the person who controls the fumigation process  4. Documents and record 
keeping  
 
4.2     Documents and records shall be kept for at least 2 years.