Current Situation on Food Additives in Thailand: Use and Awareness

摘要

Processing of agricultural raw materials is a key selection to extend shelf life and increase value added of food products. This process also increases food availability and food distribution. Several factors including good quality raw material, appropriate processing, use of food additives, good manufacturing practice (GMP) in food factories and appropriate and acceptable packaging for each food product should be considered in order to obtain products with good quality. The addition of food additives, substances that are incorporated into processed food for functional purposes, has been proven to extend shelf life and/or to enhance food quality. However, these food additives must be added within a specified dosage and the justified purpose. The useof food additives in Thailand must be complied with Food Act, B.E. 2547. The addition of substances into processed food in order to conceal damage or spoilage occurring in foods or to deceive consumers is forbidden by food regulations. This paper is aimed to present the analysis on the amount of food additives in some certain products by the Thailand National Food Institute and information on the result of food product analysis sampling from central and regional areas of Thailand by Thai FDA in 2012. The obtained data indicates the overdose of food additive in some sample of food products. Moreover, the adulteration of other forbidden substances in food product was also detected. To prevent consumers from risks of misuse and overdose of food additivealong with the adulteration, the information on food additive should be widely available; therefore, action on raising consumer awareness of the link between food additives and food quality together with strong implementation of government policy shouldbe taken.