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March 7, 2026
Approximately 5 minutes
Thailand FDA Food Product Categorization and Regulatory Requirements under the Food Act
Thailand FDA Food Product Categorization and Regulatory Requirements under the Food Act
1. Background and policy intent
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Thailand regulates food products under the Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979) and related notifications. Food is defined as any substance that humans or animals consume or ingest by mouth or other means to sustain life, including substances used as ingredients in food production (e.g., food additives, colorings, flavorings). The system categorizes food by risk level to ensure safety, quality, and proper labeling before market placement, while exempting low-risk general food from mandatory registration unless voluntarily obtained. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
2. Target products and eligibility types
Food products are divided into four risk-based categories. Products must comply with the Food Act and related standards; Category 4 general food does not require registration or a food serial number unless voluntarily obtained (labels must then be displayed correctly). Hermetically sealed containers (e.g., metal cans, glass bottles with metal lids and rubber seals, plastic containers with aluminum foil) are classified as food in hermetically sealed containers under specific notifications. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
Category 1: Specifically Controlled Food
Includes food for weight control persons, modified milk for infants and uniform formula for infants and children, supplementary food for infants and young children, food additives, enzymes used in food production, cleaning or sanitizing products for food, hemp seeds, hemp seed oil, hemp seed protein, food products containing hemp seeds/oil/protein, food products containing certain parts of cannabis or hemp, and food products containing cannabidiol extracts. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
Category 2: Food with Quality or Standard Requirements
Includes food supplements, royal jelly and products, cow’s milk, flavored milk, other milk products, fermented milk, ice cream, food in hermetically sealed containers, beverages in sealed containers, chocolate, vitamin fortified rice, edible salt, electrolyte drinks, tea, coffee, soybean milk in sealed containers, mineral water, certain sauces, food seasoning from soybean protein hydrolysis or fermentation, fish sauce, vinegar, edible oils and fats, fish oils, butter oil, margarine, blends, fat spreads, cream, cheese, semi-processed food, honey, jam, jelly, marmalade in sealed containers, ghee, butter, alkaline-preserved eggs, tea infusion, brine for cooking, drinking water in sealed containers, and ice. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
Category 3: Food with Labeling Requirements
Includes husked rice flour, prepared gelatin dessert and jelly, irradiated food, sauces in sealed containers, flavoring agents, bread, chewing gums and candies, ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat food, special purpose food, meat products, and food derived from genetically modified organisms. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
Category 4: General Food
Includes animals and animal products, plants and plant products, flour and flour products, seasonings and condiments, spices, sugar, cooking products not ready-to-eat, and rice in ready-to-sell containers. Also includes extracts and synthetic substances derived from plants and nutrients. These are not required to be registered or obtain a food serial number before production or importation. However, if registered and a serial number obtained, labels must be correctly displayed. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
3. Consultation pathway before approval
No specific pre-approval consultation pathway is detailed on the page. Applicants should refer to public manuals on the “Public Manual Information Center” website at https://www.info.go.th for detailed procedures by category. For hermetically sealed containers, refer to the specific notification at https://food.fda.moph.go.th/law/data/announ_moph/V.English/P355_E.pdf. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
4. Approval application and review expectations
Categories 1–3 are subject to registration, quality standards, or labeling requirements before production or importation. Category 4 requires no registration unless voluntarily obtained. Applications must follow risk-based procedures outlined in public manuals (search “food” or “food registration” on https://www.info.go.th). No specific application forms, steps, timelines, or fees are listed on the page. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
5. Procedure after approval (post-marketing obligations)
Approved or registered food must comply with labeling, quality, and distribution rules under the Food Act. Category 4 registered products must display labels correctly. Post-market surveillance ensures safety; specific obligations (e.g., for controlled categories) are detailed in separate notifications and public manuals. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
6. Practical considerations and positioning versus other pathways
Categorization determines regulatory burden: Categories 1–3 face stricter controls or labeling, while Category 4 is lighter (no mandatory registration). For hermetically sealed containers, additional classification applies. Consult public manuals at https://www.info.go.th for full procedures. The page emphasizes compliance with the Food Act and related standards for all categories. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
7. Effective date
The categorization and requirements are based on the Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979) and ongoing notifications (e.g., B.E. 2558 for cosmetics overlap, but food-specific). The page content reflects current FDA services as of the last update. Source: https://en.fda.moph.go.th/our-services-new/category/our-service-cat-food
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