FDA stresses on high quality of Thai fish sauce

BANGKOK, October 24 (TNA) - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under the Thai Ministry of Public Health, confirms on the high quality and safety of locally-produced fish sauce sold on the domestic market and exported to overseas markets. FDA Secretary General Dr. Thares Karasnairaviwong told a press conference on Wednesday that a recent official survey on 48 random samples of Thai fish sauce found no such harmful substances as botulinum toxin and clostridium bacteria. For the histamine chemical compound, which is claimed to cause cancer in consumers, Dr. Thares stressed that the substance found in Thai fish sauce is so minimal that it has never caused cancer in consumers. Wisit Limluecha, Head of the Food Processing Industry Club of the Federation of Thai Industry (FTI) and President of the Thai Food Processors' Association, who joined the press conference, stated that Thailand has sent a letter to the US FDA, explaining that the fermentation process applied for locally-produced fish sauce is a traditionally-unique Thai wisdom used for safe food preservation and for the enhancement of its tastes. Wisit said the Thai letter was sent after the US FDA set its standard in 2014 that a safe boiling system is needed to be applied to all imported fish sauce, but there is remaining some Thai fish sauce that is produced by the traditional Thai wisdom process. The press conference was held to publicly clarify that Thai fish sauce has not been banned by the US FDA, but the US agency has asked for updated information on manufacturing processes from Thai fish sauce producers. Meanwhile, Wittayakorn Maneenetr, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion, under the Thai Ministry of Commerce, reported that exports of Thai fish sauce have been among top global fish sauce brands, with the United States having been the number one importer of the Thai product, followed by Hong Kong. Based on official statistics, Thailand's exports of fish sauce during the first nine months of this year reached about 44 million US dollars despite growing exports to the world market of rival fish sauce from Japan, Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar. (TNA)