Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 203) B.E. 2543 (2000) Re: Fish Sauce

© 2003 FDA, MOPH – MR. PRAMOTE SIRIUTHAIKORN (Unofficial) Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 203) B.E. 2543 (2000) Re: Fish Sauce It deems appropriate to amend the notification of the Ministry of Public Health, Re: Fish Sauce. By the virtue of provisions of Sections 5 and 6 (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) and (10) of the Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979), in which contain provisions in relation to the restriction of Rights and Liberties of the Persons, in respect of which Section 29 and in conjunction with Section 35, Section 48 and Section 50 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand so permit by virtue of provisions of law; the Minister of Public Health hereby issues the notification as follows: Clause 1. The notification of the Ministry of Public Health No. 118 B.E. 2532 (1989), Re: Fish sauce, dated 8th February B.E. 2532 (1989) shall be repealed. Clause 2. Fish sauce, except Budu sauce, is prescribed food to have qualities or standards. Clause 3. Fish sauce means products in liquid form, having salty taste, and is used as food seasoning. Fish sauce shall be divided into three categories: (1) Genuine fish sauce means fish sauce, which is obtained from fermentation, or digestion of fish, or parts of fish or residue of fish remaining from the fermentation, by fish sauce production process. (2) Fish sauce made from other animal means fish sauce which is obtained from fermentation or digestion of other animal besides fish, or parts of other animals, or residue of other animal remaining from the fermentation, by fish sauce production process, and shall to include fish sauce which is made from other animals mixed with genuine fish sauce. (3) Mixed fish sauce means fish sauce as stipulated in (1) or (2), in which some other constituents of non hazardous to consumption is added, or diluted, or for seasoning. The fish sauces as stipulated in (1), (2) or (3) shall include the dehydrated fish sauces as well. © 2003 FDA, MOPH – MR. PRAMOTE SIRIUTHAIKORN Clause 4. Genuine fish sauce and fish sauce made from other animals shall be of qualities or standards as follows: (1) Colour, odour and flavour inherent of that specific characteristics of genuine fish sauce or fish sauce made from other animals, as the case may be. (2) Clear and free of sediment, except natural sediment not more than 0.1 g. per 1 liter of fish sauce (3) Salt content in one liter of fish sauce shall be as follows: (3.1) Sodium chloride not less than 200 g. (3.2) In case the usage of potassium chloride is mixed with salt as stipulated in (3.1) or potassium chloride is individually used, then the quantity of individually or the total quantity of both salts used shall not be less than 200 g. (4) Total nitrogen not less than 9 g. per 1 liter of fish sauce. (5) Nitrogen from amino acid not less than 40% and not more than 60% of total nitrogen. (6) Glutamic acid per total nitrogen not less than 0.4 and not more than 0.6 (7) No colour added, except brown sugar or caramel colour (8) Usage of artificial sweetener shall follow to Food Standards of Joint FAO/WHO Codex, Re: Food additives, and the amended version. In case where no standards is prescribed in the first phrase, the Food and Drug Administration shall prescribe according to an approval of the Food Committee. Clause 5. Mixed fish sauce shall be of qualities or standards as follows: (1) Colour, odour and flavour inherent of that specific characteristics of mixed fish sauces. (2) Clear and free of sediment, except natural sediment not more than 0.1 g. per 1 liter of fish sauce. (3) Salt content in 1 liter of fish sauce shall be as follows: (3.1) Sodium chloride not less than 200 g. (3.2) In case the usage of potassium chloride is mixed with salt as stipulated in (3.1) or potassium chloride is individually used, then the quantity of individual or total quantity of both salts shall not be less than 200 g. © 2003 FDA, MOPH – MR. PRAMOTE SIRIUTHAIKORN (4) Total nitrogen not less than 4 g. per 1 liter of fish sauce. (5) Glutamic acid per total nitrogen not less than 0.4 and not more than 1.3 (6) No colour added, except brown sugar or caramel colour. (7) Usage of artificial sweetener shall follow to Food Standards of Joint FAO/WHO Codex, Re: Food additives, and the amended version and may be used in single or in combination with sugar. In case where no standards is prescribed in the first phrase, the Food and Drug Administration shall prescribe according to an approval of the Food Committee. Clause 6. For dehydrated fish sauce, which is recombined, the recombined fish sauce shall be of the qualities or standards for such kind of fish sauce, as the case may be. Clause 7. Usage of food additive shall follow to the notification of the Ministry of Public Health, Re: Food additives. Clause 8. Fish sauce producers or importers for sales shall follow to the notification of the Ministry of Public Health, Re: Production processes, production equipments and foods storages. Clause 9. Usage of containers for fish sauce shall follow to the notification of the Ministry of Public Health, Re: Containers. Clause 10. Labels of fish sauce: (1) Shall follow to the notification of the Ministry of Public Health, Re: Labels, except for the display of fish sauce name shall be as follows: (1.1) Fish sauce as stipulated in 3(1) shall be named “genuine fish sauce” (1.2) Fish sauce as stipulated in 3(2) shall be named “fish sauce made from ” (the blank space is to specify the name of other animals used to produce fish sauce) or “fish sauce made from % and mixed with genuine fish sauce %” (the blank space is to specify the name of other animals used to produce fish sauce and the quantity) or “fish sauce made from % and mixed with fish sauce made from %” (the blank space is to specify the name of other animals used to produce fish sauce and the quantity), as the case may be. (1.3) Fish sauce as stipulated in 3(3) shall be named “mixed fish sauces” and in case mixed fish sauces are made from other animals must be accompanied by the following statement “obtained from fish sauce made from ” (the blank space is to specify the name of other animals used to produce fish sauce). © 2003 FDA, MOPH – MR. PRAMOTE SIRIUTHAIKORN (2) Declaration of “potassium chloride is used, and unsuitable for kidney disease patient”, shall be expressed in red bold color and alphabets height of not smaller than 2 mm., in case potassium chloride is used. (3) Fish sauce which utilizes of artificial sweetener shall declare that “use as an artificial sweetener” (the blank space is to specify the name of artificial sweetener), in red bold color and alphabets height of not smaller than 2 mm. (4) Other declarations prescribed by Food and Drug Administration (if any) Clause 11. Food Registration or Food Labelling, which are issued to follow the notification of the Ministry of Public Health No. 118 B.E. 2532 (1989), Re: Fish sauce, dated 8th February B.E. 2532 (1989), prior to this notification, shall be valid for 2 years as from the come into force date of this notification. Clause 12. Fish sauce producers or importers, whose permits issued prior to this notification, shall apply for food serial number within one year as from come into force date of this notification. After applying for food serial number, the fish sauce producers or importers shall be abated from stipulation in Clause 8 for a period of 2 years after this notification come into force. As a result, the remaining labels are allowed to be used until last but not to exceed 2 years after this notification come into force. Clause 13. This notification shall come into force after 180 days as from the day following date of its publication in the Government Gazette. Notified on 19th September 2000 (Signed) Korn Thupparungsri (Mr. Korn Thupparuagsri) Minister of Public Health (Published in the Government Gazette Vol. 118, Special Part 6 Ngor, dated 24th January 2001) Note : This English version of the Notification is translated to meet the need of the non-Thai speaking people. In the case of any discrepancy between the Thai original and the English translation, the former will take priority. © 2003 FDA, MOPH – MR. PRAMOTE SIRIUTHAIKORN