Page 26 - FoodFocusThailand No.181 April 2021

SPECIAL TALK BY FDA
SPECIAL TALK BY FDA

The Most Recently Enforced Food Regulations

Notification of the Ministry of Public Health

Re: Standard Criteria for

Pathogenic Microorganisms in Food

Food and Drug Administration has revised the requirements in the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health
Re: Standard Criteria for Pathogenic Microorganisms in Food issued in B.E.2556 (2013) in order that requirements
for quality or standard regarding pathogens in food are not only complied with international principles (Codex)
but also based on scientific evidence together with food technology for proper consumer health protection.
There are 2 notifications of the Ministry of Public Health which can be summarized as follows:

1. Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No.415) 2. Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No.416) B.E.2563
B.E.2563 (2020) Issued by virtue of the Food Act B.E.2522 (1979) (2020) Issued by virtue of the Food Act B.E.2522 (1979) Re:
Re: Prescribing the Quality or Standard, Principles and Conditions Prescribing the Quality or Standard, Principles, Conditions and
for Pathogenic Microorganisms in Foods Methods of Analysis for Pathogenic Microorganisms in Foods
This notification is to revise and add the requirements related to 2.1 The Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No.364) B.E.2556
qualities and analytical methods for pathogenic microorganisms in (2013) Re: Food Standards for Pathogenic Microorganisms in Foods
food which has specifically notified by Ministry of Public Health such dated 25 September B.E.2556 (2013) shall be repealed.
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as drinking water in sealed containers, ice, chocolates, weight-control 2.2 Prescribing 43 types of food (Annex 1) shall be “free from
foods, modified milk for infants and follow-up formula modified milk pathogenic microorganisms” except some types and limits of pathogenic
for infants and young children, infant foods and follow-up formula food microorganisms specified in Annex 2.
for infant and young children, supplementary foods for infant and
young children, electrolyte drinks, tea, coffee, soybean milk in sealed Annex 2 Criteria of analytical methods for pathogenic microorganisms
containers, natural mineral water, some particular kinds of sauces, in foods
butter oil, cream, cheese, semi-processed foods, honey, jam, jelly, It is required to analyze by types of food products, types and limits of
marmalade, ghee, butter, alkaline-preserved eggs, and herbal tea. pathogenic microorganisms which is currently specified for Salmonella
Hence, the requirements regarding pathogenic microorganisms in spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens,
above-mentioned foods shall comply with the Notification of the Ministry Listeria monocytogenes, Cronobacter spp., Clostridium botulinum, Vibrio
of Public Health Re: Prescribing the Quality or Standard, Principles, parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio cholera.
Conditions and Methods of Analysis for Pathogenic Microorganisms 2.3 The analytical methods of pathogenic microorganisms shall comply
in Foods. with the prescribed methods in Annex 3. However, analytical methods

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