Page 23 - FoodFocusThailand No.143_February 2018

SPECIAL INTERVIEW

understanding about the topic. In a situation where people try to row
the boat in different directions, it is difficult to reach the destination. The establishment of Food
Even those who succeeded might have made it through with a lot of
pains and struggle. Innovation and Regulation Network
Introducing new and highly innovative products into the market (FIRN) will bring about capacity
requires a regulatory approval to manufacture food products in an
industrial level. All requirements and conditions must be met while building of those who are in charge of food product
the assessment of scientific-based evidences for food safety and
efficacy for health claim need to be conducted in order to proceed innovation and regulatory approval procedures from
with commercial production. The rules and regulations for the approval research and international compliant perspective by
application are, nevertheless, understood differently by each sector,
thus resulting in equivocal implementation as well as misunderstanding. focusing on the quality, safety, and efficacy of
products based on scientific knowledge & principles.
Bilateral Collaboration…Reform to Create
Due to the aforementioned reasons, the communication system needs Thai food products can be brought to the next level
to be reformed to ensure widespread information dissemination and and meet with the global requirements, thus reaching
mutual understanding. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
Need to Know Ministry of Public Health, and the Food Science and Technology the economic goals of “Thailand 4.0” era.
Association of Thailand (FoSTAT) jointly signed an MOU and
established Food Innovation and Regulation Network (FIRN) as a Need to Know
central unit responsible for liaising, facilitating communication, and
conducting trainings for private sector organizations, entrepreneurs,
and all other related entities. In addition, FIRN is financially supported
by Food Innopolis, National Science Technology and Innovation Policy
Office.
Dr.Surachoke Tangwiwat, Deputy Secretary-General of Food and
Drug Administration; Dr.Tipvon Parinyasiri, Director of Bureau of Food;
and Prof. Dr.Pavinee Chinachoti, President of Food Science and
Technology Association of Thailand, announced in a joint press
conference that, following the government’s policy of “Thailand 4.0”
which aims at obtaining innovation-driven national development, the
Food and Drug Administration and the Food Science and Technology
Association of Thailand have initiated a collaboration to promote food
innovation, which currently plays an important role in food industry
and businesses and, if achieved, will reinforce the country’s
competitiveness in the regional and global markets. However,
innovative food research and development need to take product
quality, and efficacy into consideration in addition to the regulatory
compliance concerning food standards and safety in both
manufacturing and trading partner countries.
The Food and Drug Administration has thus signed an MOU with
the Food Science and Technology Association of Thailand to ensure
mutual support as well as knowledge and experience exchange in Dr.Tipvon Parinyasiri, Director of Bureau of Food, Food and Drug Administration (Left)
hope of improving the skills and capacity of personnel involved in Prof. Dr.Pavinee Chinachoti, President of Food Science and Technology Association of
food innovation processes such as entrepreneurs, research funders, Thailand (Right)
researchers, and experts in order for them to conduct researches
and develop food products those are in compliance with established Reform Based on Shared Understanding
law and regulation as well as developing their knowledge and This central network of functional food experts and entrepreneurs will answer
understanding about the application process for food safety the need to support innovative food development from upstream to
evaluation, nutrition and health claims, and all other related food downstream on the development of thorough understanding on the
standard regulatory measures. The joint effort will also help to build evaluation system of food product approval, the application process for
a collaborative network between the government, private sectors, health claim and related regulatory declarations of the Food and Drug
and academic institutions, which is hoped to contribute to effective Administration. The integrated information will be converted into an easy-
improvement of the aforementioned competency. to-understand format and then widely distributed to all involved parties,
The MOU entails the cooperation between the Food and Drug who will make use of it in accordance with established regulations.
Administration, which is responsible for regulating, monitoring, Additionally, trainings of experts who are in charge of evaluating
checking, supporting, and training entrepreneurs for a better evidences in the application (so called “assessors”) are also essential since
competitiveness on the international level, and the Food Science and a sufficient number of qualified personnel are constantly needed. Trainings
Technology Association of Thailand, a non-profit organization that and academic seminars/activities will be organized with an aim to make
works in collaboration with a network of academics and manufacturers Thailand’s regulatory approval procedures comply with the international
in order to develop food-related scientific knowledge and technology. standards.
This initiative relies on different strengths and potentials of each This collaborative reform is expected to yield a positive result in a more
involved party in order to drive the domestic food industry towards effective, correct, and speedier system for food product regulatory
healthy food innovations those are in compliance with established application process that will contribute to the country’s development
regulations, thus enabling the country to compete in the international according to the “Thailand 4.0” policy, which mainly gives priority to human
market. Moreover, this is also an opportunity to build capacity of the capacity building and use of innovation to acquire effective and sustainable
food-industry personnel, who play a major role in boosting Thailand’s development.
future economy.
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