UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
  
 
MINISTERIAL REGULATION  
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THAI AGRICULTURAL STANDARD ON   
CODE OF PRACTICE FOR MUSHROOM CULTURE   
AS A MANDATORY STANDARD  
B.E. 2560 (2017) 
 
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 Regul ation shall come into force aft er three hundred 
and sixty-five days as from the date of its publication in the Royal Gazette.  
Section 2 The Thai Agricultural Standard TAS 2507-2016 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 Mushroom Culture un der the Agricultural 
Standards Act, B.E. 2551 (2008) dated 11 August B.E. 2559 (2016 ) shall be established as a 
mandatory standard. 
 
 
 
           Given on the 24th Day of March B.E. 2560 (2017) 
 
           (General Chatchai Sarikalya) 
                              Minister of Agriculture and Coope ratives 
          
 
 
Remark :  Rationale for the promulgation of this Act is that: Mushroom c ulture is the 
production input that is necessary for the enhancement and impr ovement of the production of 
standardized products. Unless goo d code of practice for their p roduction is in place, the 
mushroom cultures are less in quality and at risk of pest conta mination, which can affect 
farmers who make use of the aforesaid mushroom cultures. Hence,  there is a need to control 
the production practices of mushroom cultures according to the principles and good hygiene in 
order to obtain the good quality mushroom cultures that meet th e standard. Furthermore, it will 
increase the production competitiveness of the agricultural pro ducts of Thailand. Consequently 
the Notification of the Ministr y of Agriculture and Cooperative s on the Establishment of Thai 
Agricultural Standard: Code of Practice for Mushroom Culture un der the Agricultural 
Standards Act, B.E. 2551 (2008) was promulgated on 11st August 2016. The public hearing 
for stakeholders was conducte d to follow Section 18 under the A gricultural Standard Act B.E. 
2551. Thus, it is deemed necessary to establish the Thai Agricu ltural Standard: Code of Practice 
for Mushroom Culture as a mandatory standard. 
 
. 
 
 
    
 
 TAS 2507-2016  
 
This translation is made by The National Bureau  of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards 
(ACFS) to establish correct understanding about this  standard to foreigners. Reference to Thai 
Agricultural Standard in any jurisdiction sh all be made to the Thai version only. THAI AGRICULTURRAL STANDARD  
CODE OF PRACTICE FOR MUSHROOM CULTURE  
1. SCOPE  
 
This Thai Agricultural Standard establishe s code of practice for the production of all 
mushroom cultures  for commercial purpose covering from  raw material preparation, pure 
mushroom culture production, mushroom spawn production by sub-culturing into substrate, 
to product storage awaiting for distribution, to produce good quality mushroom culture, true 
to strains of fungi and free of pest contamination. 
2. DEFINITIONS  
For the purpose of this standard, the following shall apply:  
2.1 Mushroom culture means pure mushroom  culture and mushroom spawn.   
2.2 Pure mushroom culture means mycelium of mushroom that grows on culture media for 
spawn production. 
2.3 Mushroom spawn means mycelium of mushroom grown in substrate, such as grains or 
other materials used for propagation or production of mushroom.  
2.4 Subculture means transfer of mushroom culture  into fresh culture media or substrate to 
increase its quantity to be used for propagation or collection, or rejuvenation.  
2.5 Pest means viruses, microorganisms, mites, insects and other animals injurious to 
mushroom. 
2.6 Carrier or vector means animal that bri ngs in pests injurious to mushroom culture  such as 
mite, fly, rat, cockroach and common fruit fly ( Drosophila melanogaster ). 
 
     TAS 2507-2016  
 
 2
3. REQUIREMENTS   
Requirements of code of practice for mushroom culture are as in Table 1.  
Table 1  Items and requirements for code of  practice for mushroom culture 
(Section 3)  
Items Requirements 
1.Establishment: design 
and facilities 1.Premises, tools and equipm ent and facilities should be 
located, designed and cons tructed so as to :  
(1) prevent pest and carrier/vector accumulations. (2) conveniently maintain, clean and disinfect.
 
1.1 Location 1.1 The establishment is locat ed in the area that poses no risk 
of accumulated source of pest and carrier or vector. If there is risk, appropriate preventive measures shall be in place. 
1.2 Design of premises  
 1.2 The internal design and la yout of the premises s hould 
facilitate the operation and be able to prevent cross 
contamination between and during the operations.   
1.2.1 General working areas and areas required for cleaning 
should be clearly separated and sequence of operational workflow is designed to prevent the contamination.  
1.3 Internal structure of 
premises and fittings 1.3 It should be appropriately designed for easy maintenance and 
cleaning to prevent pests and ca rrier or vector accumulation. 
1.3.1 Floor should be well drained and cleanable.  
1.3.2 Surfaces of floor, walls and ceiling or roof of sub-culturing 
area or room should be smooth, not be an accumulated source of 
filth, good air circulation, and easy to maintain and clean.  
1.3.3 Drainage should be sloped to  provide an effective drain 
of water.  
1.4 Tools and equipment 1.4 Tools and equipmen t are appropriately designed to ensure 
that risk of being an accu mulated source of pests and 
contamination in culture media and substrate are minimized.  
1.4.1 Surface of table or internal of transfer chamber for sub-
culturing shall be non absorbent. The surface should be smooth without cracks where it may be an accumulated source of waste 
substrate or filth.   TAS 2507-2016  
 
 3
Items Requirements 
 1.4.2 Autoclave shall be made of metal with pressure resistant 
equipped with safety valve for pressure control. It can work at the temperature setting not less than 121
oC and the level of 
pressure not less than 15 psi. The temperature and pressure used in each batch shall be recorded.  
1.5 Facilities  1.5 The facilities should be adequate and suitably to ensure the cleanliness during operations and to reduce the risk of contamination.  
1.5.1 Adequate clean water should be available for the 
operations.  
1.5.2 Lighting equipment used dur ing sub-culturing should be 
located at the suitable spots. Li ghting shall be sufficient for the 
operations.  
1.5.3 Adequate toilets and wash basins shall be provided for workers. It shall be located in the area where there is no risk of contamination.
 
2.  Control of operation 
 
 
 2. Requirements of quality control and reduction of 
contamination risk in the operations shall be available. Those requirements start from preparation of fruit body of mushroom or pure mushroom culture, culture media and substrate; isolation and sub-culturing; and product storage including 
documentation and records for the purposes of reviewing the effectiveness of the control, to ensure that mushroom culture produced is of good quality, true to strains of fungi and free of pest contamination.  
2.1 Preparation of fruit 
body of mushroom or pure mushroom culture 2.1 Selection of fruit body of mushroom shall follow the required 
quality criteria or characteristics. In case the pure mushroom culture is used, it shall come from reliable sources.  
2.2  Culture media 
preparation  2.2 Culture media shall be prepared and stored in accordance with specified method to control quality and prevent pest contamination.  
2.2.1 Culture media shall be sterilized in an autoclave at the 
temperature not less than 121oC and at the level of pressure not 
less than 15 psi. for at least 20 min.  
2.2.2 The prepared culture media shall be stored to prevent 
deterioration or contamination.  
TAS 2507-2016  
 
 4
Items Requirements 
2.3 Substrate preparation 2.3 Substrate shall be  prepared and stored in accordance with 
specified method to control the quality and prevent pest contamination. 
2.3.1 The substrate shall be sterilized in an autoclave at the temperature not less than 121
oC and at the level of pressure not 
less than 15 psi for at least 20 min.  
2.3.2 The substrate for straw mu shroom spawn production may 
be prepared by pasteurization at the temperature below 100 oC 
for an appropriate period of time. 
2.3.3 The prepared substrate sh all be stored to prevent 
deterioration or contamination.  
2.4 Isolation and sub-culturing  2.4 Isolation of pure mushroom culture from fruit body of mushroom and sub-culturing shall be performed by using suitable methods to control quality of mushroom culture and to minimize risk of contamination. 
2.4.1 Isolation and sub-culturing shall be performed in 
accordance to the specified method and recorded.
 
2.4.2 Isolation and sub-culturing shall be performed by using an aseptic technique. 
2.5 Storing 
 
  
 2.5 Mushroom culture shall be stored appropriately for its good 
development. Suitable measures to prevent and reduce risk of contamination as well as mingling of mushroom culture from each kind and/or strain during storage shall be in place. 
2.5.1 Storage area for pure mushroom culture or mushroom 
spawn shall be clean with optim um temperature for the mycelia 
development of each mushroom kind and/or strain without direct exposure of sunlight. 
2.5.2 Each kind and/or strain of mushroom culture should be stored separately to prevent the mixing up by clearly identify 
kind and/or strain of mushroom with production date.   
2.5.3 Preventive measures for pests and carriers or vectors infestation during storage shall be in place. 
2.6 Quality control  2.6 Quality control methods to ensure the quality and absence 
of contamination for mushroom culture during storage awaiting for distribution shall be in place. Samples from each lot shall also be kept as evidence.  
 TAS 2507-2016  
 
 5
Items Requirements 
 2.6.1 The contaminated, pest in fested or poorly developed 
mushroom culture shall be sorted out and recorded. 
2.6.2 Each lot of mushroom culture produced shall be randomly sampled and kept as evidence. 
2.7  Documents and records 2.7 Documentation of important working procedures of quality 
control including records needed for reviewing the effectiveness of operations sha ll be kept orderly and easy to 
access. The records shall be kept for at least one year. 
2.7.1 The following documents and records shall be made 
available:  
2.7.1.1 Document on quality criteria, or characteristics of fruit 
body of mushroom as material, or evidence showing sources of pure mushroom culture. (Section 2.1) 
2.7.1.2 Specified document on the preparation methods for culture media and substrate as well as the isolation and sub-culturing method. (Sections 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4.1)
 
2.7.1.3 Records on the operation  dates of important working 
procedures for verification of each mushroom culture production lot are as follows:  
(1) date of isolation of fruit body of mushroom.  (2) date of sub-culturing pure mushroom culture into the 
substrate. 
(3) date of mushroom culture distribution.
 
2.7.1.4 Records on the sorting out  of contaminated, pest 
infested or poorly developed mushroom culture and disposal method. (Section 2.6.1 and 3.2) 
2.7.1.5 Records on the cleaning program. (Section 3.1)  
3. Establishment: maintenance and cleaning 3. Effective system shall be in place to support the maintenance of 
tools and equipment for their cleanliness and readiness to use. The control of risk arising from  the accumulation of pests and 
carriers or vectors shall be carried out continuously. 
 TAS 2507-2016  
 
 6
Items Requirements 
 3.1 Cleaning and disinfection programs at the major points 
shall be provided to ensure that all sections of the establishment are appropriately cleaned including the maintenance and cleaning of tools and equipments. The implementation according to the cleaning and disinfection programs shall be monitored and recorded.
 
3.2 Suitable disposal methods for c ontaminated or pest infested 
or undesired mushroom culture shall be in place so that they would not be the accumulated sources of pests. The disposal methods shall be recorded.  
4.Training 4. Relevant personnel working on mushroom culture 
production shall receive specific training or supervised to gain knowledge and appropriate skills  on the production steps and 
hygienic practices. Training should be repeated at least once a year to prevent adverse effect arising from the contamination of mushroom culture.