On 23 January 2025, NXPO Vice President Dr. Siriporn Pittayasophon participated in an expert forum on the establishment of positive lists, organized by the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC) in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA).
During the forum, Dr. Siriporn outlined policies to advance Thailand’s future food industry, building on the government’s efforts in modernizing agricultural systems and promoting the “Thai Kitchen to the World” initiative. The future food industry in Thailand is defined by three key aspects: 1) beneficial and safe for health, 2) produced using innovative technologies, and 3) sustainable and environmentally friendly. The promotion of future food aligns with global trends, such as increasing health consciousness and the transition to a super-aged society in Thailand. In addition, it contributes to food security, supports the national goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, and enhances technological capabilities.
Current data reveal that Thailand’s future food market comprises four main segments: 1) health foods and beverage and functional ingredients, 2) medical and personalized food, 3) organic and unprocessed foods, and 4) alternative proteins. With a market value of 334.7 billion THB, this sector is rapidly growing, positioning itself as Thailand’s new economic growth engine.
“Thailand aims to increase the market value of this sector to 500 billion THB by 2027. This will involve attracting domestic and foreign investment in advanced extracts and proteins, fostering agribusiness engagement in primary processing, quality control, and R&D, establishing consortia to promote inter-ministerial collaboration, and expanding markets. This project seeks to add 150 positive lists from Thai raw materials, establish a platform for health product registration, and promote Thai future food as a soft power through food and tourism festivals,” said Dr. Siriporn.
Currently, Thailand’s positive lists for health claims is limited. Dr. Siriporn stressed the need to expand these lists by analyzing scientific evidence and conducting systematic reviews. The positive lists for health claims are expected to reduce business expenses for health claims by 70%, shorten the time to market from two years to two months, and boost product sales by 50%.
Dr. Siriporn highlighted ongoing collaborations between researchers, the Thai Food and Drug Administration, and funding agencies such as PMUC and ARDA to conduct systematic reviews. This initiative aims to build networks of experts in systematic reviews, supporting the development of positive lists for functional claims.
This initiative is expected to deliver multiple benefits. SMEs will gain access to research and knowledge, reducing product development time and costs while increasing sales. Consumers will benefit from a wider variety of health products. Farmers will be able to enhance the value of their raw materials and research centers will have greater opportunities to offer analytical services for functional ingredients.
Photo credit: PMU-B
