The Ministry of Public Health signed the draft Ministry of Public Health Announcement (No. 469) B.E. 2569 (2026) on 17 April 2026 under the Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979). The notification is currently pending publication in the Royal Gazette before entering into force.
Key Changes Introduced
1.The new notification revokes Ministry of Public Health Announcement No. 355 B.E. 2556 (2013) concerning food in sealed containers.
2.Food in hermetically sealed containers continues to be classified as a high-risk food with defined quality and safety standards due to the need for microbial destruction or inhibition processes.
3.Section 3(2) of the previous regulation has been removed. Products previously covered under this section must now comply with relevant product-specific notifications.
4.The revised regulation introduces clarification on water activity (aw) to align with international best practices for microbial control.
Microbiological requirements for:
Low-acid canned foods,
Acidified foods, and
Foods with pH 4.6 or lower
have been revised for better clarity and consistency.
5.Existing sterilization and acidification requirements for low-acid and acidified foods remain unchanged.
6.Specific limits and provisions for preservatives, potassium nitrite, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, and sodium nitrate have been removed, as these are already regulated under separate food additive regulations.
7.Packaging provisions were updated to align with Thailand’s food container regulations. However, key requirements remain, including:
No lead, rust, or harmful paint inside containers.
Only lacquer or tin coatings permitted internally.
Steel containers must prevent direct food contact, leakage, or bulging.
8.Manufacturers and importers must comply with consolidated GMP-related regulations covering:
Food production methods,
Equipment requirements, and
Food storage conditions.
9.The requirement to specify “meat weight” within product standards has been removed because sterilization validation studies already account for meat content through F₀ value assessments.
10.Labelling requirements were updated to align with Thailand’s food labelling regulations:
Drain weight declaration is required only for products where liquid can be separated from solid contents.
Provisions regarding exemptions for export-only products were revised following the removal of Section 3(2).
Existing food registration certificates and food labelling certificates issued under the previous regulation will remain valid and be deemed compliant under the new notification.
The regulation will become effective the day after publication in the Royal Gazette.
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