October 30, 2024
BANGKOK – The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Monday that fruits and vegetables will be more strictly screened to ensure safety among consumers.
This move comes after the authorities detected 50 types of toxic residues on Shine Muscat grapes, which triggered fear about the safety of imported vegetables and fruits among Thai consumers.
Thai-PAN (Pesticide Alert Network) announced on October 24 that tests on 24 samples collected from 15 different locations in Greater Bangkok were found to contain between seven and 18 types of toxic residues and 23 of 24 samples exceeded the legal limit for up to six types of toxins.
Surachoke Tangwiwat, FDA secretary-general, said the association would increase the number of banned chemicals and pesticides, while the number of samples will be increased from 500 to 5,000 next year to improve inspection efficiency.
Of the 506 vegetable and fruit samples collected in 2024, 177 failed to meet the standards, he said.
He added that the Thai FDA’s inspection of vegetables and fruits was in line with international standards as well as those set by the Department of Agriculture.
Anyone who imports fruit and vegetables that do not meet the standards will face up to 50,000 baht in fines, while the products will be disposed of or returned to the country of origin, he warned.
He said that though the FDA will focus on the two banned pesticides – chlorpyriphos and paraquat – it will also check for other toxins, especially chemicals that the countries of origin use the most.
As for Thai-PAN’s claim about high toxin residues on Shine Muscat grapes, Surachoke confirmed that the Thai FDA will collect samples for inspection again to perform legal actions against distributors.
He said importing products that contain banned chemicals or exceed the set limit violated Thai laws. He also advised washing vegetables and fruits before consumption to reduce chemicals.