AMCHAM Food & Agri Alert: Revised FDA Requirements for Food Import Certificate

VOL. 11 of January 15, 2025 

According to the Notifications of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 386) B.E. 2560 (2017) Re: Prescription of Production Process, Equipment and Utensil for Production and Storage of Some Fresh Fruits or Vegetables and Labeling and Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No.420) B.E. 2563 (2021) Re: Food Production Processes, Processing Equipment/ Utensils and Storage Practices, food importers are required to provide documentation or certificates of food production system standards. These standards must be equivalent to or exceed the criteria specified in the lists attached to these notifications. 

In response to these requirements, the Thai FDA issued an announcement titled “Document or Certificate of Food Production System Standards for Import of Food Products”, serving as a guideline for importers in preparing the necessary certifications. 

In the FDA announcement issued in April 2021, the FDA permitted importers to submit copies of food production system standard certificates. These copies were required to be certified by the issuing agency, the embassy of the country of origin in Thailand, government agencies, or authorized individuals such as a notary public. 

However, the latest Notification of the Food and Drug Administration Re: Document or Certificate of Food Production System Standards for Import of Food Products, dated Nov 27, 2024, introduces updates aimed at streamlining the import process and enhancing convenience for importers. 

Key Updates in the 2024 FDA Announcement: 

The updated notification clarifies that notarization of the copy of the food production system standards is no longer required if the document or certificate content can be verified via the online database of the relevant standard-owning agency, Accreditation Body (AB), Certification Body (CB), or the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). 

For verification, the content of the document or certificate must include the following information: 

1. Name of the food production system standard
2. Name and address of the certified food production site 
3. Certification scope 
4. Certification date, expiration date, or certification status 
5. Name of the agency issuing the certificate (CB), Accreditation Body (AB), or the standard-owning agency 

These updates aim to reduce administrative burdens and facilitate a smoother importation process. 

(Source: Notification of the Food and Drug Administration Re: Document or Certificate of Food Production System Standards for Import of Food Products)