Homemade, non FDA approved food products in Thai stores?

[cyberholz]

I wondered, can a restaurant/food store in Thailand sell homemade products that are not approved by the local FDA-equivalent?

You'll say happens here all the time, but big stores make sure everything's according to the FDA book...

Does that make selling homemade products technically not legal?

Or you can sell your own products but not products from another "homemade" brand?

Appreciate any feedback!

[hugocnx]

When you produce food, you need at least a liscence from the Tessabaan/Amphur you live in. Same when you have a local bar and need a liscence to sell beer/lao/foreing lao/cigarettes.

They check out your 'kitchen' and after approval you get the certificate.

This means you can now sell to street vendors, restaurants and private customers.

Once you want to sell your products by Rimping, Big C or whatever, you need an official code from the FDA.

I'ts about liability. The big boys like to wash their hands....ok, nothing wrong with that.

Just untill some years ago there wasn't really this concern, but things steep up in Thailand as well.

If you have the right facility and apply by the more strickt rules, you can get your products under an FDA liscence.

Means you get checked on occasion.

Edited March 30, 2014 by hugocnx

[cyberholz]

Hugo, what about a small deli shop? One that sells local quality produce? Is it obliged to stick to FDA-equivalent certification?

[hugocnx]

If you are a pop/mom store there are no FDA regulations for you. You can purchase from third party and produce yourself. See last post.

Our company sells to Rimping supermarkets in Chiang Mai and we have FDA product numbers.

We don't need to show (can do of course for better promotion) our FDA codes for sales to private consumers or restaurants.

As said befor, companies like BigC, Tesco etc are obliged to sell third party products only under FDA liscence.

However, sometimes at those stores you will find products they sell under their own liability, such as Rimping.

No FDA code (or their own if they have) showing at the label, so that means they are themselves liable for the quality of the product.

Edited March 30, 2014 by hugocnx

[ronz28]

Did you mean like US FDA approved products like MSG (Hydrolized protein tenderier) antibiotic laden meat, salmonnella infested eggs, growth hormone laden artery clogging dairy (especially cheese), salmonella infested chicken or mercury tainted fish (especially the fish in Thailand rivers that also give you liver cancer). Well, US FDA says we are responsible for cooking out all the bacteria, etc. they let slide. Sooooo..... go organic Vegan with proper cooking (no aluminum pans, please) to protect your health.

[hugocnx]

Did you mean like US FDA approved products like MSG (Hydrolized protein tenderier) antibiotic laden meat, salmonnella infested eggs, growth hormone laden artery clogging dairy (especially cheese), salmonella infested chicken or mercury tainted fish (especially the fish in Thailand rivers that also give you liver cancer). Well, US FDA says we are responsible for cooking out all the bacteria, etc. they let slide. Sooooo..... go organic Vegan with proper cooking (no aluminum pans, please) to protect your health.

For more detailed info you can google the Health Department. http://www.fda.moph.go.th/eng/index.stm

South East Asia is not America. MSG is all over these countries. Eat a noodle soup anywhere and have your daily quotum.

MSG is in more products than you might think of.. Myself I am not afraid of MSG, but try to avoid as much as, cause it gives me a big thurst.

In our company we also try to avoid MSG as much as we can. Herbs, spices and salt can do the trick also.

[Torrens54]

When you produce food, you need at least a liscence from the Tessabaan/Amphur you live in. Same when you have a local bar and need a liscence to sell beer/lao/foreing lao/cigarettes.

They check out your 'kitchen' and after approval you get the certificate.

This means you can now sell to street vendors, restaurants and private customers.

Once you want to sell your products by Rimping, Big C or whatever, you need an official code from the FDA.

I'ts about liability. The big boys like to wash their hands....ok, nothing wrong with that.

Just untill some years ago there wasn't really this concern, but things steep up in Thailand as well.

If you have the right facility and apply by the more strickt rules, you can get your products under an FDA liscence.

Means you get checked on occasion.

We bought some little "home made" sweets @ Rimping Airport branch a couple of times.

Then my wife saw the guy who was delivering them and stacking them on the shelf near the "Frozen Food" section. This creature looked as though he had crawled out of a Dumpster, dirty face, Dreadlocks...also filthy, clothing that was very grubby .....FDA or no FDA, we haven't bought any more of his produce.

[hugocnx]

Okay, you got a point. But if you have to live like this than better touch no other food that you can grow yourself from the beginning.

Can you do that? Besides this is off topic.

[kimbathewhitelion]

How hilarious...FDA for Thailand. The OP, obviously an naive American. Why disrupt businesses, importers which such dribble over sanitation or quality doesn't matter with the general population which...yes are Thais, not foreigners. The outdoor Thai markets are the best of markets making FDA nothing more than another bureaucratic excuse for taxes. Though I do miss USDA Ribeye steaks.

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[ezzra]

FDA for Thailand... a fine example of an oxymoron term...

[cyberholz]

Guys, this is a serious topic. Take the new Dean & Deluca deli, they don't sell anything non FDA-equivalent approved...

[umbanda]

Good topic! I am planning in started an Italian Deli/Bistro in Chiang Rai. Anybody interested in partnership?

[flyingdoc]

FDA Regulations in Thailand are in some cases far more strict than their counterpart in the U.S.

Take for example. our line of business in advanced Food Supplements. In Thailand every single ingredient has to be approved, rather than the overall final product. Result? Avoid Thailand and manufacture elsewhere!

[kimbathewhitelion]

Point being about no real or non-corrupted or anything close to enforced FDA...just buy packaged meat from Tesco. You can buy say a beef steak. The first thing you notice is the amount of red dye they use. Buy it, take it home, remove the plastic & turn it over. What is red on the display side is a grayish beige on the flip side & not all that pleasant of a smell. The meat is more fresh from the Thai markets but covered in flies & knats.

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[hugocnx]

That has nothing to do with it. If you take away oxigen from meat, the color will tend to something greyish.

So the bottom side of the steak sticks tide to the foam or plastic plate so no oxigen there.

Cut in a pole of fresh pink pork meatloaf. Cut half thru it and you will see that it is no longer pink there.

Expose it a short while to the air and the color will come back. If color doesn't come back, you have old meat

Butchers are allowed to use some tricks to show better meat. Like lighting, Vitamin C and more.

All within the law. However, bad smelling meat is a signal. Old meat or just a bad beast, but better leave it.

Edited March 31, 2014 by hugocnx

[kimbathewhitelion]

The problem is you won't know whether it's good or spoiled until you buy it & open it...and there are no refunds. This is a countrywide sanitation issue. When I go to Tops or Tesco I always will browse the the special imported meats section - cold cuts, steak cuts, sashimi, sushi & imported cheeses (not all the stores have them). Will never buy anything but take a humorous look at the same meat that was still there a week ago, the changing color & in the identical spot (never moved) waiting for purchase as the Thais won't throw it out. I find the only food people will regularly purchase is the Sashimi & Sushi.

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