Bangkok--11 Mar--NFI
The National Food Institute (NFI) today announced its launching of a European Union (EU)-funded project entitled "Enhancing Food Safety Management Competence in the Thai “Ready to Eat” Food Sector". The project aims at increasing the capacity of Thai manufacturers of 'Ready to Eat' food to comply with international quality and safety standards, with the objective of increasing their competitiveness in the EU market and elsewhere. 'Ready to Eat' products refer to food products that have undergone a pre-cooking or pasteurization process before freezing and are normally sold frozen or chilled.
"The EU is the largest importer of food and agricultural products in the world and is the third largest market for Thai food products. We expect that the project will be a good help to the Thai food producing entrepreneurs by providing them with essential knowledge on the principles of food safety regulations for 'Ready to Eat' products," said Samuel Cantell, Deputy Head of Operations at the Delegation of the European Union to Thailand.
This eighteen-month project implemented by the NFI and experts from England receives ? 310,747 funding from the EU.
Through its various activities, the project is expected to increase the knowledge of Ready to Eat food manufacturing safety among at least 50 Thai food experts, 10 NFI officials, 50 Thai food manufacturers, 10 Ready to Eat food factories and 200 general interested public.
Thailand is a world leading exporter of food and agricultural products. In 2009, the Kingdom's exports of food and food products to the EU totaled over 90 billion baht (more than ? 2.2 billion) representing 15% of all Thai exports to the EU.
Persons interested for more information please contact
Khun Yuwapha Jaiboon
National Food Institute
Food Engineering Services Division
2008 Arun Ammarin 36, Arun Ammarin Road, Bangyeekhan, Bangplad, Bangkok 10700
Tel. 0-2886-8088, Ext. 2300-2308
Fax: 0-2886-8105